Radio model updating

ABSTRACT

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems, methods, apparatuses, devices, articles, and means for updating radio models. For certain example implementations, a method for one or more server devices may comprise receiving at one or more communication interfaces at least one measurement that corresponds to a position of a first mobile device within an indoor environment. At least one radio model that is stored in one or more memories may be updated based, at least in part, on the at least one measurement to produce at least one updated radio model. The at least one radio model and the at least one updated radio model may correspond to the indoor environment. The at least one updated radio model may be transmitted to enable a second mobile device to use the at least one updated radio model for positioning within the indoor environment. Other example implementations are described herein.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119 and §120

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/078,644, filed Apr. 1, 2011, and entitled “Radio Model Updating,”which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/320,966, filed 5 Apr. 2010, and entitled “IndoorNavigation with Server Interactions,” which are assigned to the assigneehereof and which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to radio model updating.

2. Information

Humanity has continually struggled to journey from one point to another.In ancient times, individuals in unfamiliar territory wandered aroundwithout guidance, or perhaps they risked asking local inhabitants fordirections. People eventually developed maps to provide written guidancefor reaching a desired destination. As literacy and the availability ofpaper became more common, more people gained the ability to use mapsduring their travels.

Maps began to be available in electronic form during the twentiethcentury. With the advent of the Internet, people could electronicallyaccess maps of many places from all over the globe. Web mapping servicescould also provide directions from point “A” to point “B”. Thesedirections from web-based mapping services were relatively static. Withthe invention of satellite-positioning system (SPS) technology andever-smaller electronic devices, however, so-called turn-by-turndirections could be provided dynamically as travelers journeyed towardtheir destination.

These electronic maps and web-based mapping services focus on providingdirections in particular environments and certain situations.Unfortunately, there are other environments and situations for whichthey have not been designed. Consequently, there remain a number ofareas in which navigational or other location-based services may beimproved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive aspects, features, etc. will bedescribed with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals may refer to like parts throughout the variousfigures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a mobile device withinan example indoor environment in which the mobile device may be providedaccess to indoor environment characteristics via one or more serverdevices such that a location-based service may be provided according toan implementation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example indoor environment, withinwhich a mobile device may navigate, that may include multiple obstaclesor a multitude of feasible positions for mobile devices according to animplementation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating example interactionsamong a mobile device and one or more server devices, which may includea crowdsourcing server device, according to an implementation.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of example indoor environment characteristics,which may include a radio model, according to an implementation.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating example interactionsamong multiple mobile devices and at least a crowdsourcing server deviceto provide an updated radio model according to an implementation.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for one or moreserver devices to update a radio model according to an implementation.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to use an updated radio model according to an implementation.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to participate in updating a radio model according to animplementation.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of at least a portion of an indoorenvironment in which mobile devices may experience examples of incidentsthat apparently conflict with a graph, and at least one of theseincidents may result in a graph updating operation.

FIG. 10A is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to participate in updating a graph according to animplementation.

FIG. 10B is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to use an updated graph according to an implementation.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method for one or moreserver devices to update a graph according to an implementation.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example server device,according to an implementation, that may implement one or more aspectsof radio model updating in conjunction with an indoor environment.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example mobile device,according to an implementation, that may implement one or more aspectsof radio model updating in conjunction with an indoor environment.

SUMMARY

For certain example implementations, a method for one or more serverdevices may comprise: receiving at one or more communication interfacesat least one measurement that corresponds to a position of a firstmobile device within an indoor environment; updating at least one radiomodel that is stored in one or more memories based, at least in part, onthe at least one measurement to produce at least one updated radiomodel, the at least one radio model and the at least one updated radiomodel corresponding to the indoor environment; and transmitting the atleast one updated radio model to enable a second mobile device to usethe at least one updated radio model for positioning within the indoorenvironment. For certain example implementations, a special purposecomputing apparatus for updating a radio model may comprise: at leastone memory to store instructions; and one or more processors to executesaid instructions to: receive at least one measurement that correspondsto a position of a first mobile device within an indoor environment;update at least one radio model based, at least in part, on the at leastone measurement to produce at least one updated radio model, the atleast one radio model and the at least one updated radio modelcorresponding to the indoor environment; and transmit the at least oneupdated radio model to enable a second mobile device to use the at leastone updated radio model for positioning within the indoor environment.For certain example implementations, a special purpose computingapparatus for updating a radio model may comprise: means for receivingat least one measurement that corresponds to a position of a firstmobile device within an indoor environment; means for updating at leastone radio model based, at least in part, on the at least one measurementto produce at least one updated radio model, the at least one radiomodel and the at least one updated radio model corresponding to theindoor environment; and means for transmitting the at least one updatedradio model to enable a second mobile device to use the at least oneupdated radio model for positioning within the indoor environment. Forcertain example implementations, an article may comprise: at least onestorage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one ormore processors to: receive via one or more communication interfaces atleast one measurement that corresponds to a position of a first mobiledevice within an indoor environment; update at least one radio modelbased, at least in part, on the at least one measurement to produce atleast one updated radio model, the at least one radio model and the atleast one updated radio model corresponding to the indoor environment;and transmit the at least one updated radio model to enable a secondmobile device to use the at least one updated radio model forpositioning within the indoor environment. It should be appreciated,however, that these are merely example implementations and that otherimplementations are described herein and may be implemented withoutdeparting from claimed subject matter.

For certain example implementations, a method for a mobile device maycomprise: wirelessly receiving from one or more server devices at leastone updated radio model, wherein the at least one updated radio model isupdated based, at least in part, on at least one measurement thatcorresponds to at least one position of one or more other mobile deviceswithin an indoor environment; and performing a positioning operation forthe mobile device within the indoor environment using the at least oneupdated radio model, wherein the at least one updated radio modelcorresponds to the indoor environment, and the at least one measurementis wirelessly received by the one or more server devices from the one ormore other mobile devices. For certain example implementations, a mobiledevice for using an updated radio model may comprise: at least onememory to store instructions; and one or more processors to execute saidinstructions to: wirelessly receive from one or more server devices atleast one updated radio model, wherein the at least one updated radiomodel is updated based, at least in part, on at least one measurementthat corresponds to at least one position of one or more other mobiledevices within an indoor environment; and perform a positioningoperation for the mobile device within the indoor environment using theat least one updated radio model, wherein the at least one updated radiomodel corresponds to the indoor environment, and the at least onemeasurement is wirelessly received by the one or more server devicesfrom the one or more other mobile devices. For certain exampleimplementations, a mobile device for using an updated radio model maycomprise: means for wirelessly receiving from one or more servers atleast one updated radio model, wherein the at least one updated radiomodel is updated based, at least in part, on at least one measurementthat corresponds to at least one position of one or more mobile deviceswithin an indoor environment; and means for performing a positioningoperation within the indoor environment using the at least one updatedradio model, wherein the at least one updated radio model corresponds tothe indoor environment, and the at least one measurement is wirelesslyreceived by the one or more servers from the one or more mobile devices.For certain example implementations, an article may comprise: at leastone storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by oneor more processors to: wirelessly receive from one or more serverdevices at least one updated radio model, wherein the at least oneupdated radio model is updated based, at least in part, on at least onemeasurement that corresponds to at least one position of one or moreother mobile devices within an indoor environment; and perform apositioning operation for a particular mobile device within the indoorenvironment using the at least one updated radio model, wherein the atleast one updated radio model corresponds to the indoor environment, andthe at least one measurement is wirelessly received by the one or moreserver devices from the one or more other mobile devices. It should beappreciated, however, that these are merely example implementations andthat other implementations are described herein and may be implementedwithout departing from claimed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this Specification to “a feature,” “one feature,”“an example,” “one example,” and so forth means that a particularfeature, structure, characteristic, or aspect, etc. that is described inconnection with a feature or example may be relevant to at least onefeature or example of claimed subject matter. Thus, appearances of aphrase such as “in one example,” “for example,” “in one feature,” “afeature,” “a particular feature,” “in an example implementation,” or“for certain example implementations,” etc. in various places throughoutthis Specification are not necessarily all referring to the samefeature, example, or example implementation. Furthermore, particularfeatures, examples, structures, characteristics, or aspects, etc. may becombined in one or more example devices, example methods, examplesystems, or other example implementations.

Many indoor environments are sufficiently large, complex, or otherwisedifficult to navigate so that navigational services may be beneficial,e.g., to a user of a mobile device. Hence, a user may want anavigational service, which may involve maps or directions, etc., oranother location-based service (LBS) to be provided via a mobile devicein an indoor area. Unfortunately, in contrast with large-scale, outdoorareas in which maps or mobile device locations may be made available viae.g. satellite imagery or satellite positioning system (SPS)technologies, indoor maps or mobile device locations are often not asreadily available. Satellites cannot merely take a picture of interiorfeatures of a structure, and SPS signals may be too attenuated for usewithin a structure.

Location-based services may include positioning, personalvehicle/pedestrian navigation, real-time turn-by-turn directions, orlocation-based searching (e.g., searching of local points of interest),just to name a few examples. To provide location-based services indoors,one or more local coordinate systems may be established for particularindoor environments. An indoor environment may be referred to as a“location context.” A server device may store and associate identifiers,such as location context identifiers (LCIs), with specific “locationcontexts.” A location context may include locally-defined areas or otherenvironments such as, for example, particular floors of buildings orother indoor areas that may not be mapped according to a globalcoordinate system. Location context identifiers may be used as handlesfor requesting additional information associated with a location context(e.g., for requesting additional information that is laid over or linkedto a schematic map of an indoor environment). Such additionalinformation may include, by way of example but not limitation, routes orpaths over an indoor map, points of interest that are local or unique tocertain location contexts, etc., just to name a couple of examples.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particularcoordinate system or systems or to any particular location context oridentifier thereof. Moreover, a given indoor environment or localcontext may be associated with at least a portion of at least one localcoordinate system, at least a portion of at least one global coordinatesystem, at least a portion of at least one local coordinate system thatmay be translated into one or more other local coordinate systems orglobal coordinate systems, or any combination thereof, etc., just toname a few examples.

A mobile device may use an identifier, such as a location contextidentifier, to obtain a schematic map of an indoor environment.Location-based data may be overlaid on a schematic map of an indoorenvironment. Additionally or alternatively, a mobile device may use anidentifier to obtain information to be used in a particular applicationconnected to a particular corresponding location context. For example, amobile device may obtain information descriptive of a particularlocation context for use in an indoor pedestrian navigation application.Such information may include a schematic map that provides or enables adisplay of, for example, corridors, rooms, hallways, doors, entry ways,restrooms, or other points of interest of an indoor environment. For anexample navigational application, such information may define a routingtopology set out in a coordinate system that is local to a particularlocation context, as distinguishable from a global coordinate system. Amobile device may also use one or more identifiers to obtain point ofinterest (POI) information. POI information may include, by way ofexample only, information that describes or identifies particularlocations or potential destinations of an indoor environment. Examplesof POI information may include, but are not limited to, names of stores,locations of restrooms, names of office inhabitants, purposes of rooms,identifications of stairs or elevators, identifications of points ofegress or ingress, or any combination thereof, etc. Use of informationthat is obtained in response to a request that specifies an identifier,such as a location context identifier, may depend, at least partially,on a position of a mobile device. Unfortunately for users located withinindoor environments, as explained further below, performing apositioning operation to estimate a position of a mobile device may bemore difficult indoors as compared to outdoors.

As indicated above, electronic mapping or other navigational services inoutdoor environments may be effectuated using SPS data or usingpositioning data acquired via trilateration with multiple cellular basestations or similar fixed transmitting stations. With indoorenvironments, on the other hand, SPS signals may often be too weak orundetectable. Likewise, there may be too few received signals or aninsufficient strength of signals received at an indoor location withregard to signals that are transmitted from terrestrial cellular basestations. Consequently, positioning strategies that are effective inoutdoor environments may be inadequate for indoor environments. Tocombat these problems, indoor positioning for mobile devices may beeffectuated at least partly by processing signals transmitted fromwireless transmitter devices that are located within an indoorenvironment. Wireless transmitter devices may include, but are notlimited to, wireless transmitters that comport with a Wi-Fi access point(AP) protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, a femtocell protocol, or anycombination thereof, etc.

Unfortunately, there are other difficulties with indoor environments.For example, many indoor environments may include walls or otherobstacles. Interior obstacles may introduce at least two differentdifficulties. First, obstacles can block, reflect, attenuate, orotherwise affect wireless transmissions within an indoor environment.Second, obstacles can limit where it is feasible for a mobile device tobe located within an indoor environment or how a mobile device may movewithin an indoor environment. A schematic map may show, by way ofexample only, locations of obstacles and feasible positions for mobiledevices or users of mobile devices within an indoor environment. Aschematic map for an indoor environment may therefore be used tofacilitate navigation within the indoor environment.

A radio model may additionally facilitate navigation by aiding, forexample, a positioning operation of a mobile device within an indoorenvironment. A positioning operation for a mobile device may, forexample, determine at least an estimated position of the mobile device,including, but by way of example only, with respect to a schematic map.By way of example but not limitation, a radio model may link storedpatterns of values to positions within an indoor environment or todistances to a wireless transmitter device of an indoor environment.Stored value patterns may comprise or be derived from, by way of examplebut not limitation, at least one propagation parameter, at least onereceived signal strength indication/indicator (RSSI), at least one roundtrip time (RTT), at least one round trip delay (RTD), or any combinationthereof, etc. For example, a radio model may include an RSSI value thatcorresponds to a particular position on a schematic map of an indoorenvironment. Or a radio model may include an RTT value that correspondsto a particular position on a schematic map of an indoor environment.Alternatively, a radio model may include a propagation parameter valuethat corresponds to a particular position on a schematic map or to arange to at least one wireless transmitter device of an indoorenvironment. A radio model may include values derived from any one ormore of these example measurements or from other values, which may bepredicted or modeled, for each of multiple positions of a schematic mapof an indoor environment. Radio models may also be realized inalternative implementations without departing from claimed subjectmatter.

As noted above, indoor environments may have multiple obstacles thatinterfere with wireless transmissions or impede mobility. As a result,measurable values for a radio model may be difficult to ascertain, mayfluctuate over relatively shorter time frames, may change gradually overrelatively longer time frames, and so forth. Similarly, predicted valuesfor a radio model may be difficult to model. Locations of interiorobstacles or locations of wireless transmitter devices may also changefrom time to time. Consequently, radio models for indoor environmentsmay be initially inaccurate or may become stale. Accurate or currentradio models, on the other hand, may be used to improve positioningestimates for mobile devices within indoor environments.

Certain example implementations as described herein may relate generallyto radio model updating, and more specifically, but by way of examplebut not limitation, to a radio model that is updated for one mobiledevice based, at least partly, on at least one measurement ascertainedby another mobile device.

Accordingly, for certain example implementations, one or more serverdevices may receive at least one measurement that corresponds to aposition of a first mobile device within an indoor environment. At leastone radio model may be updated based, at least in part, on the at leastone measurement to produce at least one updated radio model. The atleast one radio model and the at least one updated radio model maycorrespond to the indoor environment. The at least one updated radiomodel may be transmitted to enable a second mobile device to use the atleast one updated radio model for positioning within the indoorenvironment.

Also or alternatively, for certain example implementations, a mobiledevice may wirelessly receive from one or more server devices at leastone updated radio model. The at least one updated radio model may beupdated based, at least in part, on at least one measurement thatcorresponds to at least one position of one or more other mobile deviceswithin an indoor environment. The at least one measurement may have beenwirelessly received by the one or more server devices from the one ormore other mobile devices. The mobile device may perform a positioningoperation within the indoor environment using the at least one updatedradio model, which may correspond to the indoor environment.

Alternatively or additionally to using an updated radio model, a mobiledevice may participate in updating a radio model. In exampleimplementations, a mobile device may obtain one or more measurementsthat correspond to one or more positions of the mobile device within anindoor environment. The one or more measurements that correspond to theone or more positions of the mobile device may be transmitted to one ormore server devices. The one or more server devices may be enabled toproduce an updated radio model based, at least in part, on the one ormore measurements that correspond to the one or more positions of themobile device within the indoor environment. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any of these particular exampleimplementations. Moreover, additional example radio model updatingimplementations are described further herein below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram 100 illustrating a mobile devicewithin an example indoor environment in which the mobile device may beprovided access to indoor environment characteristics via one or moreserver devices such that a location-based service may be providedaccording to an implementation. As illustrated, schematic block diagram100 may include a mobile device 102 that is located within an indoorenvironment 104. Schematic block diagram 100 may further include one ormore server devices 106, indoor environment characteristics 108, atleast one wireless transmitter device 110, and at least onelocation-based service 112. A wired communication link 114, a wirelesscommunication link 116, and an arrow 118 are also shown in schematicblock diagram 100.

For certain example implementations, a mobile device 102 may obtain atleast a portion of indoor environment characteristics 108 from one ormore server devices 106. Upon receipt of indoor environmentcharacteristics 108, mobile device 102 may store indoor environmentcharacteristics 108 in one or more memories for use in providing atleast one location-based service 112, e.g., for a user of mobile device102. A location-based service 112 may include, by way of example only, apositioning operation or a process that may be facilitated using aposition resulting from a positioning operation, as is described furtherherein below.

Examples of mobile devices 102 may include, but are not limited to, amobile station, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a netbook, a laptop, atablet computer, a slate computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), apersonal navigation device (PND), an entertainment appliance, an e-bookreader, or some combination thereof, etc., just to name a few examples.Furthermore, a mobile device 102 may comprise any mobile device withwireless communication capabilities. Example realizations for a mobiledevice, as well as additional mobile device examples, are describedherein below with particular reference to FIG. 13. However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular type, size, category,capability, etc. of a mobile device.

In example implementations, indoor environment 104 may comprise one ormore indoor areas such as office buildings, shopping malls, airports,apartment buildings, arenas, convention centers, auditoriums,amphitheatres, warehouses, classroom buildings, supermarkets, stadiums,a transit station terminal, a library, one or more floors thereof,interiors of other structures, or any combination thereof, just to namea few examples. In example implementations, indoor environmentcharacteristics 108 may be descriptive of an indoor environment and mayfacilitate providing a location-based service 112, examples of which aredescribed below. By way of example but not limitation, indoorenvironment characteristics 108 may include one or more of any of thefollowing: a schematic map, a connectivity graph for a schematic map, arouting graph for a schematic map, annotation information for aschematic map, points of interest for an indoor environment,navigational instructions, at least one radio model, or any combinationthereof, etc. Additional description and examples of indoor environmentcharacteristics 108 are described herein below with particular referenceto FIG. 4.

In example implementations, a wireless transmitter device 110 maycomprise a Wi-Fi and/or WLAN AP, a femtocell nodal device, a WiMAX nodaldevice, a location beacon, a Bluetooth or other similarly short-rangedwireless node, or any combination thereof, etc., just to name a fewexamples. Wireless transmitter devices 110 may transmit signalsincluding, but not limited to, those capable of identifying a particularwireless access device. A mobile device 102 may be within wirelesscommunication range of one or more wireless transmitter devices 110 andthus in wireless communication with one or more wireless transmitterdevices 110. A wireless transmitter device 110 may also be capable ofreceiving wireless signals or may comprise a wireless access devicegenerally that is capable of transmitting and receiving wirelesssignals. A wireless transmitter device 110 may be located such that itis associated with and communicating within a single indoor environment104 or multiple indoor environments 104. During wirelesscommunication(s), a mobile device 102 may receive from one or morewireless transmitter devices 110 one or more wireless transmitter deviceidentifiers that are respectively associated with the one or morewireless transmitter devices 110. For a Wi-Fi AP implementation of awireless transmitter device 110, by way of example but not limitation, awireless transmitter device identifier may comprise an AP medium accesscontrol identifier (MAC ID). Such a wireless transmitter device 110 mayfurther interact with a mobile device 102 so as to provide othermeasurements or other detectable information, such as RTT measurements,RTD measurements, or RSSI measurements, etc., just to name a fewexamples.

As depicted in schematic block diagram 100, one or more server devices106 may be located external to indoor environment 104. However, one ormore server devices 106 may alternatively be located fully or partiallyinternal to indoor environment 104 without departing from claimedsubject matter. Similarly, although wireless transmitter device 110 isillustrated as being located internal to indoor environment 104, it mayalternatively be located fully or partially external to indoorenvironment 104 without departing from claimed subject matter. Althoughonly one server device 106 and wireless transmitter device 110 areexplicitly shown in schematic block diagram 100, more than one of eitheror both may alternatively be involved in a given implementation withoutdeparting from claimed subject matter.

Also, although no particular mode of communication between mobile device102 and one or more server devices 106 is connoted by arrow 118interconnecting the two of them as explicitly depicted in schematicblock diagram 100, it should be noted that communications between themmay be made at least partially wirelessly. By way of example but notlimitation, a communication between a mobile device 102 and one or moreserver devices 106 may be propagated wirelessly at least part of the way(e.g., via one or more wireless communication links 116 between mobiledevice 102 and a wireless transmitter device 110, a cellular basestation, etc.) or may be propagated by wire at least part of the way(e.g., via one or more wired communication links 114 over one or morewired networks (not explicitly shown) such as an intranet, the Internet,a telephone network, etc.). As used herein, if a communication is“wirelessly received” or “wirelessly transmitted”, the term “wirelessly”is intended to connote that at least a portion of a communication pathfrom a source to a destination (e.g., between two devices) iseffectuated via at least one wireless communication link. A wirelesscommunication link in this context may comprise a first or initiatingcommunication link, a final or terminating communication link, any oneor more intermediate communication links, any combination thereof, etc.,just to name a few examples.

As described above, examples of location-based services 112 may include,but are not limited to, displaying a map, positioning, personal vehicleor pedestrian navigation, providing “static” directions, providingreal-time turn-by-turn directions, location-based searching (e.g.,searching of local points of interest), or any combination thereof, etc.Implementing a location-based service 112 may involve using or providingany one or more of the following: a schematic map, annotationinformation for a schematic map, POI information, a connectivity graph,a routing graph, turn-by-turn directional instructions, “static”directional instructions from one location to another location, or anycombination thereof, etc. Other examples of location-based services 112may include, but are not limited to, routing, position filtering,incentives applications (e.g., offers based on location), or anycombinations thereof, etc.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of an example indoor environment,within which a mobile device may navigate, that may include multipleobstacles or a multitude of feasible positions for mobile devicesaccording to an implementation. As illustrated, schematic diagram 200may depict an example indoor environment 104 including multipleobstacles 202 or multiple positions 204. Schematic diagram 200 may alsoillustrate one or more ranges 206. A mobile device 102 may wirelesslycommunicate or navigate within indoor environment 104. Positions 204 maycomprise feasible positions at which a mobile device 102 may be locatedor to which a mobile device 102 may navigate. Indoor environment 104 mayalso include one or more wireless transmitter devices 110, such aswireless transmitter device 110 a or wireless transmitter device 110 b.Wireless signals (not explicitly shown in FIG. 2) may be emanating fromwireless transmitter device 110 a or wireless transmitter device 110 bof indoor environment 104.

For certain example implementations, an indoor environment 104 mayinclude one or more obstacles 202. Obstacles 202 may include, but arenot limited to, walls, doors, railings, or columns; furniture or cubicledividers; elevators or stairs; or any combination thereof; etc.Obstacles 202 may exist in the physical world and may have correspondingrepresentation(s) included as part of a schematic map of indoorenvironment 104. Although claimed subject matter is not so limited,obstacles 202 may thus include building features or other objects thatmay restrict movement around an indoor environment. On the other hand,indoor environments may also have open areas such as lobbies, commonareas, entryways, or rooms, etc., just to name a few examples.Accordingly, because paths of movement in such an indoor environment maybe restricted in some areas (although they may also be unrestricted inother, open areas), such an indoor environment may be an example of aconstrained environment.

Positions 204 may comprise locations of indoor environment 104.Positions 204 may have corresponding representation(s) included as partof a schematic map of indoor environment 104. Positions 204 may alsohave counterpart locations in the physical world. Positions 204 may bedefined to any level of granularity or scale. For example, positions 204may be one inch, one foot, or ten feet apart, just to name a fewexamples. Positions 204 may also be organized or arranged in any manner.By way of example only, positions 204 may be organized into a grid ofpoints, which may be associated with a local or global coordinate systemand laid over a floor plan or other schematic map of indoor environment104 at substantially uniform spacing. A scale of a grid of points (e.g.,an interval or distance between adjacent points) may be varied based, atleast in part, on a desired level of precision for positioning or otherlocation-based services, on an available amount of resources (e.g.,memory, processing, etc.), on a size of a schematic map or rooms beingcovered, on any combination thereof, etc. In one particularimplementation, grid points may be placed or positioned at sufficientlyregular intervals so as to cover, for example, at least a portion ofindoor environment 104. It should be noted that grid points may extendbeyond indoor environment 104, for example, while still being within atargeted service or coverage area. However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular implementation for positions 204.

A range 206 may comprise, by way of example only, a radial distance froma wireless transmitter device 110, with the radial distance capable ofcircumscribing at least a portion of a circle, such as an arc. At leastone measured value (e.g., an RTT value, or an RTD value, etc.) by amobile device 102 with respect to e.g. a wireless transmitter device 110b may enable a mobile device to estimate a range 206 between mobiledevice 102 and wireless transmitter device 110 b, as is known in theart. An RTT may be derived from, for example, one or more communicationexchanges between a mobile device 102 and one or more wirelesstransmitter devices 110 of indoor environment 104. An arc or circle thatis specified by a range 206 may define a set of positions 204 at which amobile device 102 is potentially located. However, a range between amobile device and a wireless transmitter device may be estimated or usedin different manners without departing from claimed subject matter.

As noted herein above, certain quantities that are measurable by amobile device may vary at least partially in dependence on a position204 at which a mobile device 102 is located. For example, a mobiledevice 102 that is located at a first position 204 a may ascertain onee.g. RSSI or RTT value, but a mobile device 102 that is located at asecond position 204 b may ascertain another different RSSI or RTT value.For instance, a mobile device 102 at first position 204 a may measure arelatively higher RSSI value as compared to an RSSI value measured by amobile device 102 at second position 204 b, e.g. with respect towireless transmitter device 110 a.

In certain example implementations, a radio model may comprise one ormore positions 204 with at least a portion of positions 204corresponding to at least one measurement made by a mobile device, atleast after such a radio model is updated as described herein.Measurements may comprise, by way of example but not limitation, an RSSIvalue, an RTT value, an RTD value, a propagation parameter, a sensorvalue, or any combination thereof, etc. A radio model may cover at leasta portion of a schematic map of an indoor environment 104 by comprisinga grid of points laid over at least a portion of a schematic map, bylinking to at least a portion of a schematic map, or any combinationthereof, just to name a couple of examples. Examples of radio models aredescribed further herein below with particular reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram 300 illustrating exampleinteractions among a mobile device and one or more server devices, whichmay include a crowdsourcing server device, according to animplementation. As illustrated, schematic block diagram 300 may includeat least one mobile device 102, one or more server devices 106, at leastone venue 302, or at least one user 304. A mobile device 102 mayinteract with one or more server devices 106. A venue 302 may alsointeract with at least one server device 106.

For certain example implementations, one or more server devices 106 maybe realized as multiple server devices 106. Examples of server devices106 may include, but are not limited to, a map directory server device106 d, a map server device 106 m, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c, aPOI server device 106 p, or any combination thereof, etc. Examplerealizations for a server device, as well as additional server deviceexamples, are described herein below with particular reference to FIG.12. In example implementations, a system or an apparatus may comprise,by way of example but not limitation, a distributed system or adistributed apparatus that includes multiple server devices. Exampleinteractions between mobile device 102 and at least one server device106 that are shown in schematic block diagram 300 include interactions(1A), (1B), (2A), (2B), (2C), (3A), (3B), (3C), or (4). An exampleinteraction (0) is also shown between venue 302 and map server device106 m.

Venue 302 may refer to an indoor environment where, e.g., indoornavigation service is deployed. A venue may refer to a physical place orlocale that may be associated with the whereabouts of an object or thing(e.g., a user, or a mobile device, etc.) according to a desired orsuitable point of reference represented, for example, via geographiccoordinates (e.g., latitude, longitude, etc.), a street address, agovernmental jurisdiction, a postal zip code, a name, or any combinationthereof, etc. Additionally or alternatively, a venue may also includereferences to an altitude, a time, a direction, a distance, or anycombination thereof, etc., just to illustrate other possibleimplementations. Of course, these are merely examples of venues, andclaimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. Depending on animplementation, venues may comprise, for example, various partially orsubstantially enclosed areas associated with an indoor environment 104,as described herein above. A venue 302 may make indoor environmentcharacteristics 108 available for access. For example, a venue 302 mayprovide a schematic map of its indoor environment, together withlocations of wireless transmitter devices. An interaction (0) may occuroffline, for instance. More specifically, at an example interaction (0),venue 302 may provide one or more schematic maps or other indoorenvironment characteristics to map server device 106 m.

Examples of mobile device 102, which may interact with a user 304, aredescribed herein above with particular reference to FIG. 1. Mobiledevice 102 may perform a positioning operation and determine a positionof mobile device 102. A determined position may be displayed to user 304in conjunction with at least a portion of a displayed schematic map.Mobile device 102 may interact with one or more functional serverdevices to gather parameters that may be used to provide alocation-based service.

Map directory server device 106 d may include a data structure, such asa database, that links or otherwise associates information indicative ofan approximate location with one or more network locations storing aschematic map or other characteristics of an indoor environment thatcorrespond to the approximate location. Map directory server device 106d may, for example, direct a mobile device 102 to a server device (e.g.,a map server device 106 m) that stores schematic maps or wirelesstransmitter device locations for a given venue 302. A map server device106 m may be located at a public uniform resource locator (URL) (e.g.,that may be generally accessible to a mobile device), or it may be alocation server that is deployed by a communication network operator(e.g., an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC)). However, amap directory server device 106 d may be implemented differently withoutdeparting from claimed subject matter. In an example alternative, use ofmap directory server device 106 d may be obviated by employing a text ormenu-based mechanism on mobile device 102 that enables user 304 toidentify a location that is sufficiently precise that a local orweb-based application may direct mobile device 102 to a map serverdevice 106 m.

Map server device 106 m may store characteristics for multiple indoorenvironments, e.g., in a database. For example, map server device 106 mmay host one or more schematic maps or other indoor environmentcharacteristics for a venue 302. Mobile device 102 may therefore acquireindoor schematic maps from map server device 106 m, e.g. afterauthentication. An interface between mobile devices and map serverdevice 106 m may be specified individually or standardized to enable aschematic map exchange. Map server device 106 m may also providelocation(s) of wireless transmitter devices for a venue 302.Alternatively, a separate server device, such as a server devicededicated to providing locations of wireless transmitter devices atvenues, may provide locations of wireless transmitter devices to mobiledevices. However, a map server device 106 m may be implementeddifferently without departing from claimed subject matter.

Crowdsourcing server device 106 c may include logic to updatecharacteristics of an indoor environment based, at least in part, on atleast one measurement received from one or more mobile devices. Forexample, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may collect measurements froma number of mobile devices at a given venue 302. Measurements may beaccumulated and used to update, e.g., radio models or probability maps.Crowdsourcing server device 106 c may collect, by way of example only,measurements attained via active or passive communications with Wi-Fi orfemtocell nodes or other available measurements, such as SPS readings,cell identifiers, sensor readings, or any combinations thereof, etc. Ifa radio model is updated, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may send itto map server device 106 m so that other mobile devices may benefit fromthe updated radio model after map server device 106 m sends it to them.Alternatively, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may communicatedirectly with one or more mobile devices and send an updated radio modelto at least one mobile device. However, a crowdsourcing server device106 c may be implemented differently without departing from claimedsubject matter.

POI server device 106 p may include a data structure, such as adatabase, that links or otherwise associates an identifier (e.g., alocation context identifier) of a venue 302 to POI information. POIinformation, examples of which are described herein above, may bedescriptive of attributes of a given indoor environment. A POI serverdevice 106 p may therefore store POI information for one or more venues302. An indoor position as estimated by a mobile device 102 may be usedto trigger a location-based service. To facilitate provisioning alocation-based service, a mobile device 102 may communicate with POIserver device 106 p to acquire POI information that is relevant tolocations that are proximate to a current position, e.g., by including alocation context identifier as well as an estimated current position ina request for POI information. However, a POI server device 106 p may beimplemented differently without departing from claimed subject matter.

For certain example implementations, communication scenarios may beexpressed in terms of interactions between or among different entitiesillustrated in schematic block diagram 300. Example scenarios forinteractions (1A), (1B), (2A), (2B), (2C), (3A), (3B), (3C), and (4) aredescribed below. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular example scenarios or interactions thereof.

At example interaction (1A), mobile device 102 may send a request to mapdirectory server device 106 d that includes information indicative of anindoor environment 104 in which mobile device 102 is currently located.For example, at least one rough location or location hint may be sentfrom mobile device 102 to map directory server device 106 d. Examples oflocation hints may include, but are not limited to, an identifierassociated with a wireless transmitter device that is in wirelesscommunication range, most-recently-received SPS coordinates, or anycombination thereof, etc.

At example interaction (1B), map directory server device 106 d may sendinformation to mobile device 102 that enables mobile device 102 toretrieve at least a portion of indoor environment characteristics 108(e.g., of FIGS. 1 and 4) for an indoor environment 104 (e.g., of FIGS. 1and 2) of a venue 302. For example, map directory server device 106 dmay send a location context identifier to mobile device 102 in responseto a request. By way of example only, a uniform resource locator (URL),a universal resource indicator (URI), or a combination thereof, etc.that identifies a server or a location on a server device (e.g., mapserver device 106 m, a location on map server device 106 m, or acombination thereof, etc.) having indoor environment characteristics maybe sent to mobile device 102 from map directory server device 106 d.Additionally or alternatively, a local wireless transmitter device maybroadcast a URL or a URI, or a user 304 of mobile device 102 may searchfor a URL or a URI via an application or web interface.

At example interaction (2A), mobile device 102 may send a request forindoor environment characteristics to map server device 106 m using e.g.an identifier, such as a URL or URI that is received from a mapdirectory server device 106 d with interaction (1B). At exampleinteraction (2B), map server device 106 m may send at least a schematicmap of a venue 302 to mobile device 102 responsive to a URL, URI, orother information that indicates a particular indoor environment ofvenue 302. Map server device 106 m may also send locations of wirelesstransmitter devices to mobile device 102 separately or along with aschematic map.

At example interaction (2C), map server device 106 m may send additionalindoor environment characteristics to mobile device 102 to facilitatenavigation or another location-based service. By way of example only, atleast one radio model may be sent from map server device 106 m to mobiledevice 102. Radio models are described further herein with particularreference to FIGS. 2 and 4.

At example interaction (3A), crowdsourced information may be sent frommobile device 102 to crowdsourcing server device 106 c. For example, oneor more measurements ascertained by a mobile device 102 may be sent.Additionally, at least one measurement along with a position of a mobiledevice 102 at which the at least one measurement was ascertained may besent from mobile device 102 to crowdsourcing server device 106 c. Ameasurement may further be sent from mobile device 102 in conjunctionwith a location context identifier of an indoor environment 104 of avenue 302. Crowdsourcing server device 106 c may use one or moremeasurements received from one or more mobile devices 102 to update aradio model with additional or more current information. Exampleapproaches to updating radio models are described herein below withparticular reference to FIG. 6.

At example interaction (3B) or (3C), crowdsourcing server device 106 cmay disseminate an updated radio model. For example, crowdsourcingserver device 106 c may transmit an updated radio model to a mobiledevice 102 at interaction (3B). A mobile device 102 that receives anupdated radio model may be a mobile device that provided at least onemeasurement on which a radio model updating was based or may be adifferent mobile device. Additionally or alternatively, crowdsourcingserver device 106 c may transmit an updated radio model to a map serverdevice 106 m at interaction (3C). Consequently, map server device 106 mmay provide an updated radio model to mobile devices thereafter (e.g.,as part of an interaction (2C)). An updated radio model may betransmitted from crowdsourcing server device 106 c in conjunction withe.g. a location context identifier of an indoor environment 104 of avenue 302.

At example interaction (4), a mobile device 102 may retrieve POIinformation from a POI server device 106 p. For example, an applicationon a mobile device 102 may access POI server device 106 p to request POIinformation for an indoor environment 104 of a venue 302. A request forPOI information may also include a current estimated position.

As indicated above, one or more of map directory server device 106 d,map server device 106 m, crowdsourcing server device 106 c, or POIserver device 106 p may be realized separately or jointly on one or moreserver devices. Furthermore, map directory server device 106 d, mapserver device 106 m, crowdsourcing server device 106 c, or POI serverdevice 106 p, as well as functionalities thereof, may be owned,operated, or managed, etc. by a single entity or by multiple entities.By way of example only, an operator of a crowdsourcing server device 106c may be separate from or the same as an operator of map server device106 m. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulararrangement, ownership, or management of one or more server devices 106.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram 400 of example indoor environmentcharacteristics, which may include a radio model, according to animplementation. As illustrated, indoor environment characteristics 108may include, by way of example but not limitation, at least oneschematic map 402, at least one radio model 404, at least oneprobability map 406, at least one graph 408, or any combination thereof,etc. As described herein above with particular reference to FIG. 1,indoor environment characteristics 108 may correspond to at least oneindoor environment 104. Although shown separately in FIG. 4, one or moreof schematic map 402, radio model 404, one probability map 406, or graph408, etc. may alternatively be realized in another form, such as anintegrated, joint, overlapping, or any combination thereof, etc. form.

For certain example implementations, schematic map 402 may compriseinformation descriptive of a layout or physical organization of at leastone indoor environment 104. For example, schematic map 402 may indicatelocations of walls, rooms, doors, hallways, dividers, railings, orportals between floors, etc. Indoor environment characteristics 108 mayfurther include a graph 408. For certain example implementations, agraph 408 may comprise multiple nodes that are interconnected by edges.To create a graph 408, a grid of points may be overlaid on a schematicmap of an indoor environment and lines interconnecting the points may bedrawn, by way of example only. A connectivity graph implementation of agraph 408 may be created, for example, by limiting interconnecting linesto those lines that are capable of extending from one point to anotherpoint without crossing an obstacle, such as an impervious buildingfeature (e.g., a wall). A routing graph implementation of a graph 408may comprise a connectivity graph that includes additional mapinformation corresponding to indoor environment 104 so as to facilitatea determination of a route from one point to another point of indoorenvironment 104.

A connectivity graph or a routing graph may be linked to or otherwiseassociated with annotation information (not separately shown). Aconnectivity graph, a routing graph, or annotation information may beincluded as part of, may be linked to, or may otherwise be associatedwith a schematic map 402. Annotation information may comprise POIinformation, as described herein above, or other information descriptiveof attributes of specific locations or aspects of a schematic map 402 ora physical indoor environment to which it corresponds. However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular example implementationof a schematic map, a graph, or POI information, etc.

A connectivity graph, a routing graph, or annotation information may beused to provide navigation services, such as positioning, providingstatic directions, providing turn-by-turn directions, or any combinationthereof, etc. A navigation service may facilitate travel from a point“A” to a point “B” of e.g. an indoor environment using, for example, arouting graph. A routing graph may be descriptive of feasible areas of agiven schematic map and indicate how traversal is possible from oneposition to another position. For a given indoor environment, a routinggraph may comprise a set of nodes and edges that depict feasible areasand traversable paths from one point in an indoor environment to anotherpoint. A traversable path may comprise, by way of example but notlimitation, a path between any two points that is not blocked by a wallor other obstacle. By way of example but not limitation, annotations maybe associated with particular portion(s) of a routing graph. A routinggraph may be used to plot a path from one point to another point,including from one annotated area to another annotated area.

For certain example implementations, at least one graph 408 may beupdated using one or more crowdsourcing techniques as described herein.In an example implementation, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c mayupdate a connectivity or routing graph based, at least in part, aposition of a mobile device or at least one measurement that is madewith regard to a position of the mobile device. For instance, there maybe a door in a wall that is not shown in a schematic map. A door that isnot shown in a map is likely not reflected in a correspondingconnectivity or routing graph. By observing mobile device(s) of usersthat appear to move through a wall, a crowdsourcing server device 106 cmay infer or conclude that a door is actually present there in the wall.Consequently, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update (e.g.,modify) a connectivity graph or a routing graph. A crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c may also update a schematic map 402, a probability map 406,or any combination thereof, etc. in response to such a conclusion.Example approaches to updating radio models or graphs with regard tocrowdsourcing techniques are described herein below with particularreference to FIG. 5. Example approaches to updating at least graphs withregard to crowdsourcing techniques are described herein below withparticular reference to FIGS. 9-11.

A probability map 406 may comprise one or more likelihood values thatcorrespond to one or more positions of an indoor environment. Forexample, at least one likelihood value may correspond to one or morepositions 204 of an indoor environment 104 (e.g., of FIG. 2). Aprobability distribution or density may, for example, indicate one ormore likelihoods of being in a particular state given a previous state.In one particular example, such a state may be defined at least in partby location and velocity (e.g., a speed and direction). A probabilitydistribution or density may be used to determine likelihood values. Alikelihood value may express a likelihood, e.g. in probabilistic terms,that a mobile device 102 is located at or is to transition to a givenposition 204 based on parameters corresponding to mobile device 102 forat least one prior epoch (e.g., at least an immediately prior epoch).Such parameters may characterize position, movement, etc. of a mobiledevice at an instantaneous moment or over an elapsed time period.Examples of parameters characterizing position or movement of a mobiledevice may include, but are not limited to, an estimated position, aspeed, a direction, a trajectory over an elapsed time period, or anycombination thereof, etc. By way of example only, a probability map maycorrespond to an indoor environment and include multiple indications oflikelihoods of mobile devices moving to or being located at variouspositions of the indoor environment based on a movement or locationhistory of a mobile device.

A mobile device 102 may use likelihood values of a probability map 406,by way of example but not limitation, to establish or adjust a positionfix. For example, if other positioning techniques or measured valuesresult in a set of likely positions, the set of likely positions may belimited by identifying one or more positions in the set of likelypositions having greater likelihood value(s) based at least in part on aprobability map 406 as compared to one or more other positions in theset of likely positions. For instance, a mobile device may consider aposition, a direction, or a speed at a previous moment (e.g., from aprevious state) in conjunction with probability map 406 to determine oneor more positions at which the mobile device is more probably positionedat a current moment (e.g., at a current state). These more probablepositions that are determined at least partly based on probability map406 may be used to limit the set of likely positions of the mobiledevice. Probability map 406 may include a map of an indoor environment104 to which it corresponds. Additionally or alternatively, probabilitymap 406 may reference positions 204 that are defined or otherwisespecified in a map that is included as part of, e.g., schematic map 402.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particularimplementation of a probability map.

Using instantaneous positions or tracked movement parameters of mobiledevices, which may be received directly from such mobile devices, acrowdsourcing server device 106 c (e.g., of FIGS. 3 and 6) may update aprobability map 406 to produce an updated probability map (notexplicitly shown). For example, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c mayadjust likelihood values of a probability map 406 based on where mobiledevices are positioned over time or how mobile devices move (e.g., howpositions, velocities, trajectories, or combinations thereof, etc.change over time) in an indoor environment. Mobile device positions maybe determined, for example, using known trilateration-based techniquesor using a radio model, such as radio model 404. With trilateration, forinstance, a mobile device may use a mathematical formula or a look-uptable that may define a functional relationship between receivedwireless signal characteristics (e.g., RSSI, RTT, RTD, etc.) and a rangeto one or more wireless transmitter devices. An updated probability mapmay be disseminated by crowdsourcing server device 106 c directly tomobile devices 102 or indirectly to mobile devices 102 by transmittingan updated probability map to a map server device 106 m. Exampleapproaches to updating radio models or probability maps with regard tocrowdsourcing techniques are described herein below with particularreference to FIG. 6.

A radio model 404 may comprise one or more values that are derived fromat least one measurement at an indoor environment. A measurement maycorrespond to at least one position of an indoor environment. Forexample, a measurement may be ascertained by a mobile device at acorresponding position of an indoor environment. Additionally oralternatively, a measurement may correspond to one or more positionslocated at a given range (e.g. radial distance) from at least onewireless transmitter device. Although multiple example implementationsof radio models 404 are described below, claimed subject matter is notlimited to any of these particular examples. Instead, variousimplementations may include more, fewer, or different aspects orfeatures than those described below. For certain exampleimplementations, a radio model 404 may comprise one or more values,including but not limited to patterns of values, that are derived fromat least one measurement obtained at an indoor environment. A radiomodel 404 may therefore represent, or include values characteristic of,a radio environment for an indoor environment 104 to which itcorresponds.

In an example implementation for radio models 404, a radio model maycomprise at least one expected value for measurements at multiplepositions of an indoor environment. By way of example only, suchpositions may be organized or stored as a grid covering at least aportion of an indoor environment. For each grid point, at least oneexpected measurement value may be stored. By way of example only,multiple expected measurement values forming a pattern of expectedvalues may be stored for each grid point. Expected measurement valuesmay correspond to, for example, RSSI measurements, RTT measurements, RTDmeasurements, sensor value measurements, or any combination thereof,etc. An expected measurement value may be derived from one or moreactual measurements. Alternatively, an expected measurement value may bederived at least initially by simulation using, for example, a raytracing or similar technique that predicts signaling, timing, or othercharacteristics of wireless signals within a modeled indoor environment.An expected measurement value may comprise, for example, an expectedvalue plus some range (e.g., a statistical range, a probabilistic range,an error range, or any combination thereof, etc.) around the expectedvalue that is derived from one or more actual measurements at multiplegrid points. For instance, an expected measurement value may comprise amean plus a standard deviation. However, claimed subject matter is notlimited to these particular examples for expected measurement values.

Expected measurement values for an example radio model 404 may be storedin a data structure for use by a mobile device in attaining or finetuning a position fix within an indoor environment. In an examplepositioning operation, a mobile device may ascertain one or more radiomeasurements (e.g., of RTT, RTD, RSSI, or sensor values, etc.). One ormore ascertained radio measurements may be compared to values, includingvalue patterns, in a data structure of a radio model 404. Using one ormore comparisons or a pattern matching algorithm, for example, a mobiledevice may determine expected values in a data structure of a radiomodel 404 that match one or more ascertained radio measurements. Aposition associated with the matched values in the data structure may bedetermined to be an estimated position of the mobile device within anindoor environment.

By way of example only, a radio model 404 may be considered to comprisea map of values derivable from measurements if such values are organizedin accordance with positions of an indoor environment (e.g., organizedinto a grid of points or the like). Hence, a radio model 404 maycomprise an RSS map, an RTT map, an RTD map, a sensor value map, or anycombination thereof, etc. A radio model 404 may therefore include, byway of example but not limitation, a map of an indoor environment 104 towhich it corresponds. Additionally or alternatively, a radio model 404may reference positions 204 that are defined or otherwise specified in amap that exists separately (e.g., that is stored or is transmitted, etc.separately), such as a schematic map 402. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular organization or arrangement fora radio model 404.

In an example implementation of a radio model 404, an RSS map maycomprise values that are derived from at least one RSS measurement forone or more positions of a corresponding indoor environment. An RSSmeasurement value may be ascertained (e.g., made, or taken, etc.) by amobile device by, for example, measuring a strength of a wireless signalreceived from a wireless transmitter device. In an exampleimplementation of a radio model 404, an RTT map may comprise values thatare derived from at least one RTT measurement for one or more positionsof a corresponding indoor environment. An RTT measurement value may beascertained (e.g., made, or taken, etc.) by a mobile device by, forexample, measuring a time for a wireless signal to be transmitted fromthe mobile device and a companion wireless signal from a wirelesstransmitter device to be received back at the mobile device, or viceversa.

In an example implementation of indoor environment characteristics 108,a radio model 404 or a separate sensor model (not explicitly shown) maycomprise a sensor value map that includes values derived from at leastone sensor measurement for one or more positions of a correspondingindoor environment. A sensor measurement value may be ascertained (e.g.,made, or taken, etc.) by a mobile device by, for example, measuring atleast one value using one or more sensors of a mobile device. At leastone sensor measurement value may be obtained at a position correspondingthereto by a mobile device with one or more sensors. At least one sensorvalue may comprise a temperature ascertained by a thermometer, apressure ascertained by a barometer, an acceleration ascertained by anaccelerometer, a compass heading ascertained by a compass, a gyroscopeheading ascertained by a gyroscope, or any combination thereof, etc. Byway of example only, one or more sensor measurements may be fed into afiltering mechanism together with one or more measurements pertaining toradio characteristics. Sensor measurements and radio characteristicmeasurements may be evaluated singularly or jointly against a sensormeasurement model or a radio measurement model. Results of such anevaluation may be used as at least part of a positioning operation.

In another example implementation for radio models 404, a radio modelmay comprise at least one expected value for measurements at multiplepositions of an indoor environment. By way of example only, a radiomodel 404 may store in a data structure expected values of measurementsthat indicate an expected range to at least one wireless transmitterdevice. Alternatively, a radio model 404 may provide one or morefunctions that characterize expected measurement values for variousranges between mobile devices and a given wireless transmitter device.Expected measurement values may correspond to, for example, RSSImeasurements, RTT measurements, RTD measurements, or any combinationthereof, etc. An expected measurement value may be derived from one ormore actual measurements. Alternatively, an expected measurement valuemay be derived at least initially by simulation using, for example, aray tracing or similar technique that predicts signaling, timing, orother characteristics of wireless signals within a modeled indoorenvironment. Expected measurement values in a radio model 404 maytherefore indicate, for example, probable positions in an arc or circleas defined by a radial distance or range from a particular wirelesstransmitter device.

With an example radio model 404, expected measurement values, includingpatterns thereof, may be stored in a data structure in association withexpected ranges to a particular wireless transmitter device. In anexample positioning operation, a mobile device may ascertain one or moreradio measurements (e.g., of RTT, RTD, RSSI, etc.). One or moreascertained radio measurements may be compared to expected measurementvalues, including patterns of expected measurement values, in a datastructure of a radio model 404. Using one or more comparisons or apattern matching algorithm, for example, a mobile device may determineexpected values in a data structure of a radio model 404 that match oneor more ascertained radio measurements. A radial distance from aparticular wireless transmitter device may be stored in association withthe matching values of the data structure. Alternatively, a mobiledevice may use a function, and any associated coefficients, as providedby radio model 404 to compute a radial distance based, at least in part,on the one or more ascertained radio measurements. A set of positionswithin an indoor environment that are defined by a radial distance orrange from the particular wireless transmitter device (e.g., as lookedup in table, or computed from a function, etc.) may be determined to beone or more estimated positions of the mobile device within an indoorenvironment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram 500 illustrating exampleinteractions among multiple mobile devices and at least a crowdsourcingserver device to provide an updated radio model according to animplementation. As illustrated, schematic block diagram 500 may includea first mobile device 102 a, a second mobile device 102 b, a wirelesstransmitter device 110, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c, a mapserver device 106 m, or one or more wired communication links 114.Schematic block diagram 500 may also include a first position 204 a, asecond position 204 b, an updated radio model 404U, or at least onemeasurement 502. Schematic block diagram 500 may further include one ormore interactions (3A), (3B), (3C), or (2C).

For certain example implementations, an operational scenario isdescribed. First mobile device 102 a may be located at first position204 a, e.g., within an indoor environment. First mobile device 102 a mayascertain at least one measurement 502. By way of example only,measurement 502 may comprise at least one RSSI value, at least one RTTvalue, at least one RTD value, one or more sensor values, or anycombination thereof, etc. An RSSI value, an RTT value, or an RTD valuemay be measured, for instance, receiving from or transmitting to awireless transmitter device 110.

At example interaction (3A), first mobile device 102 a may wirelesslytransmit measurement 502 that corresponds to first position 204 a tocrowdsourcing server device 106 c. Thus, crowdsourcing server device 106c may receive measurement 502 that corresponds to first position 204 afrom first mobile device 102 a. Crowdsourcing server device 106 c mayupdate a radio model 404 (e.g., of FIG. 4) to produce an updated radiomodel 404U based, at least partly, on measurement 502 that correspondsto first position 204 a.

In example implementations, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may updatea radio model 404 (e.g., of FIG. 4) to produce an updated radio model404U. A crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update a radio model 404(or a probability map 406 or a graph 408), for example, based, at leastin part, on a measurement 502 corresponding to a first position 204 athat is received from a first mobile device 102 a (or based, at least inpart, on a known or determinable first position 204 a). For example,crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update an expected measurementvalue corresponding to first position 204 a of a radio model datastructure based, at least in part, on measurement 502. For instance, amean or a standard deviation expected value of a radio model 404 may beupdated using measurement 502.

Measurements 502 may be used in a crowdsourced updating procedure in anyone or more of a number of different manners. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any of these particular example updatingprocedures. For example, received measurements 502 may be filtered toproduce updated values that are relatively more current, that arerelatively more pertinent to more users, that reject spuriousmeasurements, that ascertain a statistically relevant value (e.g., bydetermining an average, by determining a mean plus standard deviation,or some combination thereof, etc.), or combinations thereof, etc. Storedexpected measurement values may be kept relatively current by applyingat least one time decay to received measurements such that oldermeasurements are given a lower weight as compared to newer measurements.Additionally or alternatively, a weighted average may be applied tomeasurements. For instance, measurements taken by or received fromrelatively more common types, brands, or models of mobile devices may begiven greater weight as compared to those measurements taken by orreceived from relatively less common types, brands, or models of mobiledevices.

Updating of radio models 404 by a crowdsourcing server device 106 c maybe implemented, by way of example only, in accordance with a known orinferred reliability of crowdsourced information (e.g., to handlepotentially spurious measurements). For example, if a particular mobiledevice 102 submits multiple measurements for different positions thatsubstantially deviate from existing expected measurement values (e.g.,that consistently exceed one or two standard deviations), measurementsreceived from that particular mobile device 102 may be de-weighted in(including being omitted from) a radio model updating procedure inasmuchas the measurements may be considered insufficiently reliable. If aparticular faulty or unreliable mobile device, which may be identifiedby a unique identifier (e.g., a phone number, an associated emailaccount, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, orany combination thereof, etc.) submits measurements, such measurementsmay be de-weighted in a radio model updating procedure. If a particularbrand or model of mobile device 102 is known to make faulty orunreliable measurements (e.g., faulty or unreliable measurementsgenerally or faulty or unreliable measurements of a particular kind,such as RSSI or RTT), measurements received from such mobile devices maybe de-weighted in a radio model updating procedure as being consideredinsufficiently reliable.

As another example of an updating procedure, crowdsourcing server device106 c may batch measurements received from mobile devices until astatistically significant number of measurements have been received. Forinstance, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may wait to update expectedmeasurements corresponding to one or more positions until five “new”measurements or three percent of a current sample set of measurementsare received from mobile devices for the corresponding one or morepositions. Also, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may normalize orcalibrate measurements received from mobile devices prior to using themto update a radio model. For instance, if a given brand or model ofmobile device is known to skew higher than average for RTT calculationsby a certain amount of time, crowdsourcing server device 106 c mayadjust RTT measurements received from such mobile devices downward toaccount for the known certain amount of time.

As another example, crowdsourcing server device 106 c may receivemeasurements from mobile devices that differ at different times of theday or different days of the week. For instance, operational officemachines may affect signal characteristics during business hours. Busytimes of the day or days of the week may also result in mutualinterference among mobile devices. For instance, there may be differentsignal characteristics on Monday at 11 am as compared to Saturday at 8pm. Accordingly, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may not utilizemeasurements by mobile devices that are made during the evening ornights when fewer activities or mobile devices are present. Additionallyor alternatively, a radio model 404 (or probability map 406) may beconditioned (e.g., made dependent or segmented) by times of the day ordays of the week. Equivalently, multiple respective radio models maycorrespond to multiple respective segments of times of days or days ofthe week. For instance, a radio model may be segmented into two (ormore) periods—e.g., business hours or non-business hours. Accordingly, acrowdsourcing server device 106 c may segment updating procedures for aradio model by times of the day or days of the week. Measurements takenduring one period may be used to update a segment of a radio modelcorresponding to that period but not used to affect a segment of theradio model corresponding to another segment or segments.

A radio model 404 (or probability map 406 or graph 408) may thus beimplemented using a conditional model that is based, at least partially,on one or more situational characteristics. Examples of situationalcharacteristics may include, but are not limited to, a mobile devicetype, brand, or model; a time of day or day of week; a desired level ofprecision; or any combination thereof; etc. For example, a mobile devicemay employ a particular radio model or segment thereof based, at leastin part, on one or more conditions. Such conditions may include, but arenot limited to, a type, brand, or model of mobile device; a desiredlevel of positioning precision; a time of day, a day of the week, or atime of year; or any combination thereof; etc. For instance, with asegmented radio model, a mobile device may employ a segmentcorresponding to a current day or current time if using the segmentedradio model to perform a positioning fix. Additionally or alternatively,a mobile device may extract from a radio model a position that isassociated with a pattern of expected measurement values, with thepattern being dependent on a condition. For instance, expectedmeasurement value patterns may differ at noon on Tuesday morning ascompared to 4 pm on Friday afternoon. By obtaining crowdsourcedmeasurements from mobile devices under different conditions, acrowdsourcing server device 106 c may create or update a radio model 404or a probability map 406 in accordance with different conditions toimplement a conditional model for a radio model 404 or a probability map406. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to conditionalmodels or any particular example implementations for conditional models.

At example interaction (3B) or (3C), crowdsourcing server device 106 cmay transmit updated radio model 404U. For example, crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c may transmit updated radio model 404U to second mobiledevice 102 b at interaction (3B). Additionally or alternatively,crowdsourcing server device 106 c may transmit updated radio model 404Uto map server device 106 m at interaction (3C).

At example interaction (2C), map server device 106 m may transmitupdated radio model 404U to second mobile device 102 b. Thus, secondmobile device 102 b may wirelessly receive from one or more serverdevices (e.g., from crowdsourcing server device 106 c at interaction(3B) or from map server device 106 m at interaction (3C), etc.) updatedradio model 404U that is updated based, at least in part, on at leastone measurement 502 that corresponds to first position 204 a.

Second mobile device 102 b may perform a positioning operation usingupdated radio model 404U, e.g., within an indoor environment. Forexample, second mobile device 102 b may perform one or more comparisonsor a pattern matching operation using its own measurements and expectedmeasurement values obtained from updated radio model 404U. Second mobiledevice 102 b may be located at second position 204 b. In one example, anupdated radio model 404U may include updated measurement values thatwere previously received by crowdsourcing server device 106 c for secondposition 204 b. In another example, as second mobile device 102 b movesaround an indoor environment, second mobile device 102 b may use updatedradio model 404U (which was updated based, at least in part, measurement502) in a positioning operation to determine that it has moved to firstposition 204 a.

In certain example implementations, a mobile device 102 may additionallyor alternatively wirelessly receive from one or more server devices 106at least one updated probability map. A probability map 406 (e.g., ofFIG. 4) may be updated based, at least in part, on at least onemeasurement that corresponds to at least one position of one or moreother mobile devices within an indoor environment.

In certain example implementations, a position 204 (e.g., a firstposition 204 a or a second position 204 b) may comprise a known locationof an indoor environment. A known location may be ascertained, forinstance, via participation in a transaction that is determinable tooccur at the known location within the indoor environment.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram 600 illustrating an example method for one ormore server devices to update a radio model according to animplementation. As illustrated, flow diagram 600 may include any ofoperations 602-606. Although operations 602-606 are shown and describedin a particular order, it should be understood that methods may beperformed in alternative manners without departing from claimed subjectmatter, including but not limited to, with a different order or numberof operations. Also, at least some operations of flow diagram 600 may beperformed so as to be fully or partially overlapping with otheroperation(s). Additionally, although the description below referencesparticular aspects or features illustrated in certain other figures,methods may be performed with other aspects or features.

For certain example implementations, one or more of operations 602-606may be performed at least partially by one or more server devices 106that is or are in communication with one or more mobile devices 102. Atoperation 602, at least one measurement that corresponds to a positionof a first mobile device within an indoor environment may be received atone or more communication interfaces. At operation 604, at least oneradio model that is stored in one or more memories may be updated based,at least in part, on the at least one measurement to produce at leastone updated radio model, with the at least one radio model and the atleast one updated radio model corresponding to the indoor environment.At operation 606, the at least one updated radio model may betransmitted to enable a second mobile device to use the at least oneupdated radio model for positioning within the indoor environment.Additionally or alternatively, the at least one updated radio model maybe transmitted to enable the first mobile device to use the at least oneupdated radio model for positioning within the indoor environment.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram 700 illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to use an updated radio model according to an implementation. Asillustrated, flow diagram 700 may include any of operations 702-704.Although operations 702-704 are shown and described in a particularorder, it should be understood that methods may be performed inalternative manners without departing from claimed subject matter,including but not limited to, with a different order or number ofoperations. Also, at least some operations of flow diagram 700 may beperformed so as to be fully or partially overlapping with otheroperation(s). Additionally, although the description below referencesparticular aspects or features illustrated in certain other figures,methods may be performed with other aspects or features.

For certain example implementations, one or more of operations 702-704may be performed at least partially by at least one mobile device 102that is in communication with one or more server devices 106. Atoperation 702, at least one updated radio model may be wirelesslyreceived from one or more server devices. The at least one updated radiomodel may be updated based, at least in part, on at least onemeasurement that corresponds to at least one position of one or moreother mobile devices within an indoor environment. At operation 704, apositioning operation may be performed for the mobile device within theindoor environment using the at least one updated radio model. The atleast one updated radio model may correspond to the indoor environment,and the at least one measurement may be wirelessly received by the oneor more server devices from the one or more other mobile devices.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram 800 illustrating an example method for a mobiledevice to participate in updating a radio model according to animplementation. As illustrated, flow diagram 800 may include any ofoperations 802-804. Although operations 802-804 are shown and describedin a particular order, it should be understood that methods may beperformed in alternative manners without departing from claimed subjectmatter, including but not limited to, with a different order or numberof operations. Also, at least some operations of flow diagram 800 may beperformed so as to be fully or partially overlapping with otheroperation(s). Additionally, although the description below referencesparticular aspects or features illustrated in certain other figures,methods may be performed with other aspects or features.

For certain example implementations, one or more of operations 802-804may be performed at least partially by at least one mobile device 102that is in communication with one or more server devices 106. Atoperation 802, one or more measurements that correspond to one or morepositions of the mobile device within the indoor environment may beobtained. At operation 804, the one or more measurements that correspondto the one or more positions of the mobile device may be transmitted tothe one or more server devices to be used in an update operation.

In example implementations, a mobile device may obtain multiplemeasurements that correspond to multiple positions of the mobile devicewithin the indoor environment. The mobile device may batch the multiplemeasurements into a batch of the multiple measurements. The batch of themultiple measurements may be transmitted wirelessly or via wire to oneor more server devices responsive to a determinable occurrence. By wayof example but not limitation, a determinable occurrence may comprise atime at which transmission costs are below a given threshold, a time atwhich transmission rates are above a given threshold, a time while amobile device is detected to be connected by wire to the Internet, apredetermined time at which a navigational application is scheduled toreport measurements and corresponding positions, or any combinationthereof, etc.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram 900 of at least a portion of an indoorenvironment in which mobile devices may experience examples of incidentsthat apparently conflict with a graph, and at least one of theseincidents may result in a graph updating operation. As illustrated,schematic diagram 900 may include one or more of three incidents 902(e.g., a first incident 902 a, a second incident 902 b, or a thirdincident 902 c). Schematic diagram 900 may further include multiplemobile devices 102 c-102 h; an infeasible area 904; annotationinformation 906 (e.g., POI information), such as incorrect annotationinformation 906 a or corrected annotation information 906 b; an apparentobstacle 908; a passageway 910; or an area 912. Each example incident902 is described below. However, claimed subject matter is not limitedto these three example incidents 902 (e.g., first incident 902 a, secondincident 902 b, or third incident 902 c).

For certain example implementations, first incident 902 a may involve anarea that has been labeled an infeasible area 904 or one or more mobiledevices 102, such as mobile device 102 g or 102 h. As shown in FIG. 9,mobile device 102 g or mobile device 102 h may be located within an areathat is identified by annotation information (e.g., POI information)associated with schematic map 402 (e.g., of FIG. 4) as being infeasible,as indicated by infeasible area 904. Additionally or alternatively, amobile device may detect that it is located in area to which a graph 408does not extend. This may perhaps occur, for instance, when an area thatwas previously reserved for a food purveyor in a food court of a mall isremoved to make room for additional seating space. Mobile device 102 gor mobile device 102 h may detect a discrepancy such as an infeasiblearea label being associated with an area in which they are currentlylocated. A mobile device may detect that it is located within an areathat is labeled as an infeasible area 904 by processing annotationinformation.

Thus, for an incident that apparently conflicts with a graph, there maybe one or more indications that at least one mobile device is locatedwithin an area (i) that is labeled as an infeasible area by annotationinformation or (ii) to which a graph 408 does not extend. A mobiledevice may transmit and a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may receivesuch indications. In response to receiving such indications,crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update a graph 408 correspondingto an indoor environment in which the mobile device(s) are located (i)by labeling the area as a feasible area to produce updated annotationinformation or (ii) by extending a graph 408 into the area to produce anupdated graph. Prior to initiating an updating operation, acrowdsourcing server device 106 c may institute at least one thresholdto ensure that a predetermined number of mobile devices are detected asbeing located within an infeasible area 904 or to ensure that apredetermined period of time over which such conflicting incidents aredetected has elapsed, for example.

For certain example implementations, second incident 902 b may involvean area that is associated with incorrect annotation information 906 a(e.g., incorrect POI information). For instance, an area 912 may beassociated with incorrect annotation information 906 a, such as “AcmeBoots”. This may perhaps occur, for instance, when one store in a mallcloses and is replaced by a new store. A user of a mobile device maydetect an incorrectly annotated area and report the error. A mobiledevice 102 c may detect that incorrect annotation information 906 a thatis associated with an area 912 of a schematic map 402 is actuallyincorrect. Here, such detection by a mobile device may include detectinginput from a user indicating that POI information is incorrect.

Thus, for an incident that apparently conflicts with annotationinformation, there may be one or more indications from at least onemobile device that POI information associated with an area of a map isincorrect. A mobile device may transmit and a crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c or a POI server device 106 p may receive such indications.In response to receiving such indications, a crowdsourcing server device106 c or a POI server device 106 p may update annotation informationcorresponding to an indoor environment and pertaining to incorrect POIinformation by disassociating the incorrect POI information from anidentified area in updated POI information (e.g., by replacing incorrectPOI information with a “none”, “unknown”, etc. designation).

Furthermore, a user may be empowered to submit corrected annotationinformation 906 b (e.g., corrected POI information), such as “AcmeSofas”. For example, detection by a mobile device may further includedetection of corrected POI information being entered by a user. Thus,for an incident that apparently conflicts with annotation information,there may be one or more indications from at least one mobile devicethat comprise corrected POI information for an area. To facilitate acorrection, a mobile device 102 c may transmit corrected annotationinformation 906 b for area 912 to at least one crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c or at least one POI server device 106 p that is capable ofupdating annotation information based at least partly on correctedannotation information 906 b for area 912. A mobile device may transmitand a crowdsourcing server device 106 c or a POI server device 106 p mayreceive such indications that include corrected POI information for anarea. In response to receiving such indications, a crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c or a POI server device 106 p may update annotationinformation by associating corrected POI information with an identifiedarea in updated annotation information. A crowdsourcing server device106 c or a POI server device 106 p may institute one or more thresholdsto ensure that at least one predetermined number of mobile devicesdetect (or report) incorrect POI information or that at least onepredetermined number of mobile devices submit corrected POI informationprior to implementing a disassociating or an associating operation,respectively. Additionally or alternatively, a crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c or a POI server device 106 p may institute at least onethreshold to ensure that a predetermined time period elapses over whichincorrect notifications or corrected annotation information is reportedprior to implementing a given correction operation.

For certain example implementations, third incident 902 c may involveone or more mobile devices 102, such as mobile devices 102 e or 102 f,or at least one apparent obstacle 908. Mobile devices 102 d, 102 e, or102 f are associated with tracked trajectories that are represented bydashed arrows. A trajectory may comprise, by way of example but notlimitation, (i) at least two positions at which a mobile device has beenlocated, (ii) a distance and direction over which a mobile device hastraveled, (iii) or any combination thereof, etc. A tracked trajectorymay comprise, by way of example but not limitation, a trajectory thathas been observed, recorded, stored, noted, or any combination thereof,etc.

Mobile device 102 d is shown by way of its trajectory to have movedthrough a passageway 910, such as a doorway. Mobile device 102 e ormobile device 102 f, on the other hand, are shown by way of theirrespective trajectories as having moved through an apparent obstacle908. This may perhaps occur, for instance, if a store in a mall hasinstalled a new entrance to increase foot traffic. Mobile device 102 eor mobile device 102 f may detect such a discrepancy (i) between atleast one respective tracked trajectory and one or more traversablepaths of a graph 408 or (ii) between at least one respective trackedtrajectory and a schematic map 402. More specifically, a mobile devicemay detect that a tracked trajectory for itself passes through anapparent obstacle 908 that is present in a schematic map 402 or that atracked trajectory has deviated from traversable paths of a graph 408.

Thus, for an incident that apparently conflicts with a graph, there maybe one or more indications that at least one mobile device has passedthrough an apparent obstacle 908 that is present in a schematic map 402or that one or more positions have deviated from traversable paths of agraph 408. A mobile device may transmit and a crowdsourcing serverdevice 106 c may receive such indications. In response to receiving suchindications, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update a schematicmap 402 (e.g., by removing an apparent obstacle, by inserting apassageway where the apparent obstacle was previously located, acombination thereof, etc.) or a graph 408 (e.g., by adding at least oneedge extending through where the apparent obstacle was previouslylocated, etc.) corresponding to an indoor environment. For example, anapparent obstacle may be marked as questionable in an updated schematicmap, an apparent obstacle may be removed from an updated schematic map,any combination thereof, etc., just to name a couple of examples. Priorto altering an apparent obstacle for an updated schematic map or priorto adding at least one edge extending through a previous apparentobstacle, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may institute at least onethreshold to ensure that a predetermined number of conflicting trackedtrajectories have been detected or to ensure that a predetermined numberof mobile devices have submitted such incident reports. Additionally oralternatively, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may institute atleast one threshold to ensure that a predetermined time period elapsesover which such incidents are reported prior to implementing a givenupdating operation to remove an apparent obstacle in a schematic map 402or to add a traversable path to a graph 408.

If an incident that apparently conflicts with a schematic map 402, agraph 408, or any combination thereof, etc. is reported by a mobiledevice, such a report may include, by way of example but not limitation,at least one measurement (e.g., that indicates a position of a mobiledevice), a position of a mobile device, or any combination thereof, etc.For certain example implementations, with reference at least to firstincident 902 a or third incident 902 c, a mobile device 102 may notexplicitly report an incident that apparently conflicts with a schematicmap 402 or a graph 408. Instead, mobile devices 102 may transmit atleast one position, multiple positions that indicate a trackedtrajectory, another indication of a tracked trajectory, or anycombination thereof, etc. to a crowdsourcing server device 106 c. Fromone or more positions or a tracked trajectory that are received from amobile device, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may determine that anincident has occurred that apparently conflicts with a schematic map402, a graph 408, or any combination thereof, etc. A crowdsourcingserver device 106 c may update a schematic map 402, a graph 408, or anycombination thereof, etc. based, at least in part, on one or morepositions or a tracked trajectory that is or are received from at leastone mobile device and that indicate an incident has occurred thatconflicts with a schematic map 402, a graph 408, or any combinationthereof, etc.

FIG. 10A is a flow diagram 1000A illustrating an example method for amobile device to participate in updating a graph according to animplementation. FIG. 10B is a flow diagram 1000B illustrating an examplemethod for a mobile device to use an updated graph according to animplementation. As illustrated, flow diagram 1000A may include any ofoperations 1002-1004, or flow diagram 1000B may include any ofoperations 1006-1008. Although operations 1002-1004 or 1006-1008 areshown and described in a particular order, it should be understood thatmethods may be performed in alternative manners without departing fromclaimed subject matter, including but not limited to, with a differentorder or number of operations. Also, at least some operations of flowdiagram 1000A or 1000B may be performed so as to be fully or partiallyoverlapping with other operation(s). Additionally, although thedescription below references particular aspects or features illustratedin certain other figures, methods may be performed with other aspects orfeatures.

For certain example implementations, one or more of operations 1002-1004or 1006-1008 may be performed at least partially by at least one mobiledevice 102 that is in communication with one or more server devices 106.Operation 1002 or 1004 of flow diagram 1000A may pertain, for example,at least to participating in updating a graph. Operation 1006 or 1008 offlow diagram 1000B may pertain, for example, at least to using anupdated graph. A single mobile device or different mobile devices mayperform operations 1002-1004 or 1006-1008.

In an example implementation of flow diagram 1000A, at operation 1002,an incident that apparently conflicts with a graph may be detected. Forexample, a mobile device 102 may be located at one or more positionsthat deviate from nodes or edges of a graph 408. At operation 1004, anindication of an incident that apparently conflicts with a graph may betransmitted. For example, a mobile device 102 may transmit a report thatdescribes an incident 902 that apparently conflicts with a graph 408 ormay transmit measurement(s) or position(s) from which it is determinablethat an incident 902 that apparently conflicts with a graph 408 hasoccurred.

After operation 1004, a flow of operations may continue with one or moreserver devices as shown at FIG. 11 and described herein below. From FIG.11, operations may continue with flow diagram 1000B. In an exampleimplementation of flow diagram 1000B, at operation 1006, an updatedgraph that reflects one or more indications of at least one incidentthat apparently conflicts with a graph may be received. For example, anupdated graph that includes at least one additional node or edgeindicative of location(s) to which a mobile device may move may bereceived. At operation 1008, at least one positioning operation may beperformed using the updated graph.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram 1100 illustrating an example method for one ormore server devices to update a graph according to an implementation. Asillustrated, flow diagram 1100 may include any of operations 1102-1108.Although operations 1102-1108 are shown and described in a particularorder, it should be understood that methods may be performed inalternative manners without departing from claimed subject matter,including but not limited to, with a different order or number ofoperations. Also, at least some operations of flow diagram 1100 may beperformed so as to be fully or partially overlapping with otheroperation(s). Additionally, although the description below referencesparticular aspects or features illustrated in certain other figures,methods may be performed with other aspects or features.

For certain example implementations, one or more of operations 1102-1108may be performed at least partially by one or more server devices 106that is or are in communication with one or more mobile devices 102. Asdescribed herein above, a flow of operations for flow diagram 1100 maycontinue from those of FIG. 10A. At operation 1102, one or moreindications of at least one incident that apparently conflicts with agraph may be received. For example, a crowdsourcing server device 106 cmay receive a report that describes an incident 902 that apparentlyconflicts with a graph 408 or may receive measurement(s) or position(s)from which it is determinable that an incident 902 that apparentlyconflicts with a graph 408 has occurred.

At operation 1104, one or more indications that are received from one ormore mobile devices may be analyzed to verify that at least one incidentdoes conflict with a graph. For example, a crowdsourcing server device106 c may verify that multiple positions or a tracked trajectory of amobile device of at least one mobile device indicates that a graph 408does not match a characteristic of the physical world. For instance,position(s) or a tracked trajectory may indicate that a mobile device isor was located at one or more positions that do not correspond to nodesor edges of graph 408 or do not match a traversable path of graph 408.Additionally or alternatively, but by way of example only, acrowdsourcing server device 106 c may verify that incidents conflictwith graph 408 by ensuring that a predetermined number of mobile deviceshave transmitted indications that apparently conflict with a graph orthat multiple incidents that conflict with a graph 408 have beenreceived over a predetermined period of time.

At operation 1106, a graph may be updated based, at least partly, on oneor more indications of at least one incident that conflicts with thegraph, or responsive to an analysis thereof, to produce an updatedgraph. For example, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c may update agraph 408 based, at least partly, on one or more indications of at leastone incident that apparently conflicts with graph 408 to produce anupdated graph. Updating of a graph 408 may further be performedresponsive to an analysis verifying that one or more received incidentsdo actually conflict with graph 408. At operation 1108, an updated graphmay be transmitted. For example, a crowdsourcing server device 106 c maytransmit an updated graph to a mobile device 102 or to map server device106 m. As described herein above, a flow of operations may continue toflow diagram 1000B of FIG. 10B.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example server device1200, according to an implementation, that may implement one or moreaspects of radio model updating in conjunction with an indoorenvironment. As illustrated, server device 1200 may include at least oneprocessor 1202, one or more memories 1204, at least one communicationinterface 1206, one or more other component(s) 1208, or at least oneinterconnect 1212, etc. FIG. 12 also illustrates at least one storagemedium 1214 and one or more networks 1216. A server device 1200 may haveaccess to storage medium 1214 or networks 1216. Memory 1204 or storagemedium 1214 may include instructions 1210. However, a server device 1200may alternatively include or have access to more, fewer, or differentcomponents from those that are illustrated without departing fromclaimed subject matter.

For certain example implementations, a server device 106 (e.g., of FIGS.1, 3, and 5) may comprise a server device 1200. Server device 1200 mayinclude or comprise at least one electronic device, such as a devicewith processing capabilities. Server device 1200 may comprise, forexample, any electronic device having at least one processor or memory.Examples of server devices 1200 may include, but are not limited to, adesktop computer, one or more server blades, at least one servermachine, at least one telecommunications node, an intelligent router orswitch, an access point, or any combination thereof, etc.

One or more processors 1202 may comprise one or more separate orintegrated processors. A processor 1202 may be programmed withinstructions, such as instructions 1210, to become a special purposeprocessor that implements at least a portion of any procedure(s) thatare described herein. Memory 1204 may store, contain, or otherwiseprovide access to at least a portion of instructions 1210 that may beexecutable by a processor 1202. Examples for instructions 1210 mayinclude, but are not limited to: a program, or an application, etc. orportion thereof; operational data structures; processor-executableinstructions; computer-implemented instructions; code or coding; or anycombination thereof; etc. Execution of instructions 1210 by one or moreprocessors 1202 may transform server device 1200 into a special purposecomputing device, apparatus, platform, or any combination thereof, etc.

Instructions 1210 may include, by way of example but not limitation,radio model instructions 1210 a. In certain example implementations,radio model instructions 1210 a may correspond to, for example,instructions that are capable of realizing: at least a portion of one ormore implementations of flow diagrams 600 or 1100 (of FIG. 6 or 11),such as any of operations 602-606 or 1102-1108; at least a portion ofany interactions shown in FIG. 3 or 5 from a server device perspective;or any combination thereof; etc., just to name a few examples. In anexample implementation, a server device 1200 may execute radio modelinstructions 1210 a to update or disseminate a radio model. For example,one or more server devices 106 (e.g., of FIG. 1, 3, or 5) may update atleast one radio model 404 (e.g., of FIG. 4 or 5) based, at least inpart, on one or more measurements received from at least one mobiledevice. In another example implementation, one or more server devices106 (e.g., of FIG. 1, 3, or 5) may update at least one graph 408 (e.g.,of FIG. 4) based, at least in part, on one or more incident reports, onat least one measurement, on at least one position, or any combinationthereof, etc. that indicate an apparent conflict with a graph and thatare received from at least one mobile device. Other alternatives mayinstead be implemented without departing from claimed subject matter.

At least one communication interface 1206 may provide one or morehardware or software interfaces between server device 1200 and otherdevices or human operators. Hence, communication interface 1206 maycomprise a screen, a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a keyboard orkeys, or other human-device input or output features. Additionally oralternatively, a communication interface 1206 may comprise a transceiver(e.g., a transmitter or a receiver), a radio, an antenna, a networkinterface (e.g., a wired hardware interface connector, such as a networkinterface card; or a wireless interface connector, such as a Bluetooth®or near field communication (NFC) unit; etc.), a local hardwareinterface (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector, or a LightPeak® connector, etc.), or any combination thereof, etc. to communicatewireless and/or wired signals (e.g., over wireless or wiredcommunication links) via one or more networks 1216. Communications usingat least one communication interface 1206 may enable transmitting,receiving, or initiating of transmissions, etc., just to name a fewexamples.

One or more networks 1216 may comprise at least one wireless or wirednetwork. Examples of networks 1216 may include, but are not limited to,a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network(WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a cellular network, a telecommunicationsnetwork, the internet, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, orany combination thereof, etc. A storage medium 1214 may store, forexample, at least a portion of instructions 1210. A storage medium 1214may be external (as shown) to server device 1200. If external, storagemedium 1214 may be local or remote from server device 1200. An externalimplementation of a storage medium 1214 may comprise a separate memorydevice or may comprise part of another electronic device. Although notso explicitly illustrated, storage medium 1214 may also or alternativelybe located within, or be internal to, server device 1200. Examples ofstorage medium 1214 may include, but are not limited to, a hard drive, adisk, a disc, a storage array, volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, aUSB drive, a memory card, a computer-readable medium, or any combinationthereof, etc.

Server device 1200 may include at least one interconnect 1212 thatcomprises one or more buses, channels, switching fabrics, orcombinations thereof, etc. to enable signal communication between oramong components of server device 1200. Other component(s) 1208 maycomprise one or more other auxiliary processing, storage, orcommunication components; power sources; apparatuses providing otherfeature(s); or any combination thereof; etc. Although not explicitlyillustrated in FIG. 12, one or more components of server device 1200 maybe coupled to interconnect 1212 via a discrete or integrated interface.By way of example only, an interface may couple processor 1202 orcommunication interface 1206 to interconnect 1212.

In example implementations, a device, such as server device 1200, maycomprise at least one memory 1204 and one or more processors 1202. Atleast one memory 1204 may store instructions 1210. One or moreprocessors 1202 may be configured to execute instructions 1210, e.g., toperform one or more procedures, processes, operations, or anycombination thereof, etc. In example implementations, an article (e.g.,an article of manufacture) may comprise at least one storage medium1214. At least one storage medium 1214 may have stored thereoninstructions 1210 that are executable by one or more processors 1202,e.g., to perform one or more procedures, processes, operations, or anycombination thereof, etc.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example mobile device1300, according to an implementation, that may implement one or moreaspects of radio model updating in conjunction with an indoorenvironment. As illustrated, mobile device 1300 may include at least oneprocessor 1302 (e.g., a general-purpose processor 1302 a or a digitalsignal 1302 b), one or more memories 1304, at least one communicationinterface 1306, at least one interconnect 1308, at least one wirelesstransceiver 1312, at least one SPS receiver 1318, at least one AM/FMreceiver 1320, or one or more other component(s) 1322, etc. FIG. 13 alsoillustrates at least one storage medium 1314 and one or more networks1316. A mobile device 1300 may have access to storage medium 1314 ornetworks 1316. Memory 1304 or storage medium 1314 may includeinstructions 1310. However, a mobile device 1300 may alternativelyinclude or have access to more, fewer, or different components fromthose that are illustrated without departing from claimed subjectmatter.

For certain example implementations, a mobile device 102 (e.g., of FIGS.1-3 and 5) may comprise a mobile device 1300. Mobile device 1300 mayinclude or comprise at least one electronic device, such as a devicewith processing capabilities. Mobile device 1300 may comprise, forexample, any electronic device having at least one processor or memory.Examples of mobile devices 1300 may include, but are not limited to, anotebook or laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), anetbook, a slate or tablet computer, a portable entertainment device, amobile phone, a smart phone, a mobile terminal (MT), a mobile station(MS), a user equipment (UE), a personal navigation device (PND), or anycombination thereof, etc.

One or more processors 1302 may comprise one or more separate orintegrated processors. As illustrated, one or more processors 1302 maycomprise a general-purpose processor 1302 a, a digital signal processor1302 b, or any combination thereof, etc. General-purpose processor 1302a may be programmed with instructions, such as instructions 1310, tobecome a special purpose processor that implements at least a portion ofany procedure(s) that are described herein. A digital signal processor(DSP) 1302 b may comprise a processor having an architecture that is atleast partially enhanced to process digital signals. Digital signalprocessor 1302 b may be programmed with instructions, such asinstructions 1310, to become a special purpose digital signal processorthat implements at least a portion of any procedure(s) that aredescribed herein. General-purpose processor 1302 a or digital signalprocessor 1302 b may operate individually or jointly to implement anyprocedure(s) that are described herein.

Memory 1304 may store, contain, or otherwise provide access to at leasta portion of instructions 1310 that may be executable by a processor1302. Examples for instructions 1310 may include, but are not limitedto: a program, or an application, etc. or portion thereof; operationaldata structures; processor-executable instructions; computer-implementedinstructions; code or coding; or any combination thereof; etc. Executionof instructions 1310 by one or more processors 1302 may transform mobiledevice 1300 into a special purpose computing device, apparatus,platform, or any combination thereof, etc.

Instructions 1310 may include, by way of example but not limitation,radio model instructions 1310 a. In certain example implementations,radio model instructions 1310 a may correspond to, for example,instructions that are capable of realizing: at least a portion of one ormore implementations of flow diagrams 800, 1000A, or 1000B (of FIGS. 8,10A, or 10B), such as any of operations 802-808, 1002-1004, or1006-1008; at least a portion of any interactions shown in FIG. 3 or 6or 9 from a mobile device perspective; or any combination thereof; etc.,just to name a couple of examples. In one particular implementation, amobile device 102 (e.g., of FIG. 1-3 or 6) may execute radio modelinstructions 1310 a to ascertain at least one measurement 502 (e.g., ofFIG. 6) corresponding to at least one position 204 (e.g., of FIGS. 2 and6) and to transmit wirelessly the at least one measurement 502 to one ormore server devices (e.g., of FIG. 1, 3, or 6). In another particularimplementation, a mobile device 102 may execute radio model instructions1310 a to receive wirelessly at least one updated radio model 404U(e.g., of FIG. 6) from one or more server devices 106 and to perform apositioning operation using the at least one updated radio model 404U.In yet other particular implementations, a mobile device 102 may executeradio model instructions 1310 a to participate in updating a graph 408(e.g., of FIG. 4) by detecting one or more incidents 902 (e.g., of FIG.9) or to use an updated graph. Other alternatives may instead beimplemented without departing from claimed subject matter.

At least one communication interface 1306 may provide one or morehardware or software interfaces between mobile device 1300 and otherdevices or human operators. Hence, communication interface 1306 maycomprise a screen, a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a keyboard orkeys, or other human-device input or output features. Additionally oralternatively, a communication interface 1306 may comprise a transceiver(e.g., a transmitter or a receiver), a radio, an antenna, a networkinterface (e.g., a wired hardware interface connector, such as a networkinterface card; or a wireless interface connector, such as a Bluetooth®or near field communication (NFC) unit; etc.), a local hardwareinterface (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) connector, or a LightPeak® connector, etc.), or any combination thereof, etc. to communicatewireless and/or wired signals (e.g., over wireless or wiredcommunication links) via one or more networks 1316. Communications usingat least one communication interface 1306 may enable transmitting,receiving, or initiating of transmissions, etc., just to name a fewexamples.

One or more networks 1316 may comprise at least one wireless or wirednetwork. Examples of networks 1316 may include, but are not limited to,a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network(WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a cellular network, a telecommunicationsnetwork, the internet, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, orany combination thereof, etc. A storage medium 1314 may store, forexample, at least a portion of instructions 1310. A storage medium 1314may be external (as shown) to mobile device 1300. If external, storagemedium 1314 may be local or remote from mobile device 1300. An externalimplementation of a storage medium 1314 may comprise a separate memorydevice or may comprise part of another electronic device. Although notso explicitly illustrated, storage medium 1314 may also or alternativelybe located within, or be internal to, mobile device 1300. Examples ofstorage medium 1314 may include, but are not limited to, a hard drive, adisk, a disc, a storage array, volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, aUSB drive, a memory card, a computer-readable medium, or any combinationthereof, etc.

Additionally or alternatively to communication interface 1306, mobiledevice 1300 may include one or more transmitters, receivers,transceivers, or any combination thereof, etc. By way of example only, amobile device may include at least one wireless transceiver 1312, atleast one SPS receiver 1318, at least one AM/FM receiver 1320, or anycombination thereof, etc. A wireless transceiver 1312 may transmit orreceive wireless signals in accordance with, e.g., at least one selectedprotocol. Example protocols may include, but are not limited to, acellular or WWAN protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol, a Bluetooth® protocol, orany combination thereof, etc. Wireless transceiver 1312 may communicate,for example, with network 1316 via wireless signals. An SPS receiver1318 may at least receive SPS signals from one or more satellites,pseudolites, positioning beacons, or any combination thereof, etc. AnAM/FM receiver 1320 may at least receive amplitude modulated (AM) orfrequency modulated (FM) signals. Although not explicitly shown in FIG.13, wireless transceiver 1312, SPS receiver 1318, AM/FM receiver 1320,or any combination thereof, etc. may be coupled to one or moreindividual antennas or shared antennas.

Mobile device 1300 may include at least one interconnect 1308 thatcomprises one or more buses, channels, switching fabrics, orcombinations thereof, etc. to enable signal communication between oramong components of mobile device 1300. Other component(s) 1322 maycomprise one or more other miscellaneous sensors, power sources,apparatuses providing other feature(s), or any combination thereof, etc.In an example implementation, sensors may include, but are not limitedto, a thermometer, a barometer, an accelerometer, a compass, agyroscope, or any combination thereof, etc. Although not explicitlyillustrated in FIG. 13, one or more components of mobile device 1300 maybe coupled to interconnect 1308 via a discrete or integrated interface.By way of example only, an interface may couple wireless transceiver1312 or general-purpose processor 1302 a to interconnect 1308.

In example implementations, a device, such as mobile device 1300, maycomprise at least one memory 1304 and one or more processors 1302. Atleast one memory 1304 may store instructions 1310. One or moreprocessors 1302 may be configured to execute instructions 1310, e.g., toperform one or more procedures, processes, operations, or anycombination thereof, etc. In example implementations, an article (e.g.,an article of manufacture) may comprise at least one storage medium1314. At least one storage medium 1314 may have stored thereoninstructions 1310 that are executable by one or more processors 1302,e.g., to perform one or more procedures, processes, operations, or anycombination thereof, etc.

Methodologies described herein may be implemented by various meansdepending upon applications according to particular features orexamples. For example, such methodologies may be implemented inhardware, firmware, software, discrete/fixed logic circuitry, or anycombination thereof, etc. In a hardware or logic circuitryimplementation, for example, a processor or processing unit may beimplemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processingdevices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmablegate arrays (FPGAs), processors generally, controllers,micro-controllers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other devices orunits programmed to execute instructions or designed to performfunctions described herein, or combinations thereof, just to name a fewexamples. Herein, the term “control logic” may encompass logicimplemented by software, hardware, firmware, discrete/fixed logiccircuitry, or any combination thereof, etc.

For a firmware or software implementation, methodologies may beimplemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, etc.) havinginstructions that perform functions as described herein. Any machinereadable medium tangibly embodying instructions may be used inimplementing methodologies as described herein. For example, softwarecoding may be stored in a memory or executed by a processor. Memory maybe implemented within a processor or external to a processor. As usedherein the term “memory” may refer to any type of long term, short term,volatile, nonvolatile, or other storage memory/medium and is not to belimited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, or typeof media upon which memory is stored.

In one or more example implementations, functions described herein maybe implemented in hardware, software, firmware, discrete/fixed logiccircuitry, any combination thereof, etc. If implemented in firmware orsoftware, functions may be stored on a physical computer-readable (e.g.,via electrical digital signals) medium as one or more instructions orcode (e.g., realized as at least one article of manufacture comprisingat least one storage medium having instructions stored thereon).Computer-readable media may include physical computer storage media thatmay be encoded with a data structure, a computer program, or anycombination thereof, etc. A storage medium may be any available physicalmedium that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and notlimitation, such computer-readable media may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM,CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to storedesired program code in the form of instructions or data structures andthat can be accessed by a computer or processor thereof. Disk and disc,as used herein, may include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc,digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc, where disksusually reproduce data magnetically, and discs usually reproduce dataoptically with lasers.

Also, computer instructions, code, or data, etc. may be transmitted viasignals over physical transmission media from a transmitter to areceiver (e.g., via electrical digital signals). For example, softwaremay be transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source usinga coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriberline (DSL), or physical components of wireless technologies such asinfrared, radio, or microwave. Combinations of the above may also beincluded within the scope of physical transmission media. Such computerinstructions or data may be transmitted in portions (e.g., first andsecond portions) at different times (e.g., at first and second times).

Electronic devices may also operate in conjunction with Wi-Fi/WLAN orother wireless networks. For example, positioning data may be acquiredvia a Wi-Fi or other wireless network. In addition to Wi-Fi/WLANsignals, a wireless/mobile device may also receive signals fromsatellites, which may be from a Global Positioning System (GPS),Galileo, GLONASS, NAVSTAR, QZSS, a system that uses satellites from acombination of these systems, or any SPS developed in the future, eachreferred to generally herein as a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) orGNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Furthermore, implementationsdescribed herein may be used with positioning determination systems thatutilize pseudolites or a combination of satellites and pseudolites.Pseudolites may comprise ground-based transmitters that broadcast aPseudo-Random Noise (PRN) code or other ranging code (e.g., similar to aGPS or CDMA cellular signal) that is modulated on an L-band (or otherfrequency) carrier signal, which may be synchronized with GPS time. Eachsuch transmitter may be assigned a unique PN code so as to permitidentification by a remote receiver. Pseudolites may be particularlyuseful in situations where SPS signals from an orbiting satellite mightbe unavailable, such as in tunnels, mines, buildings, urban canyons, orother enclosed areas. Another implementation of pseudolites is known asradio-beacons. The term “satellite”, as used herein, may includepseudolites, equivalents of pseudolites, and similar or analogoustechnologies. The term “SPS signals”, as used herein, may includeSPS-like signals from pseudolites or equivalents of pseudolites. Certainimplementations may also be applied to femtocells or a combination ofsystems that includes femtocells. For example, femtocells may providedata or voice communication. Moreover, femtocells may providepositioning data.

Hence, example implementations that are described herein may be usedwith various SPSs. An SPS typically includes a system of transmitterspositioned to enable entities to determine their location on or abovethe Earth based, at least in part, on signals received from thetransmitters. Such a transmitter typically, but not necessarily,transmits a signal marked with a repeating pseudo-random noise (PN) codeof a set number of chips and may be located on ground based controlstations, user equipment, or space vehicles. In a particular example,such transmitters may be located on Earth orbiting satellite vehicles(SVs). For example, a SV in a constellation of Global NavigationSatellite System (GNSS) such as Global Positioning System (GPS),Galileo, Glonass or Compass may transmit a signal marked with a PN codethat is distinguishable from PN codes transmitted by other SVs in theconstellation (e.g., using different PN codes for each satellite as inGPS or using the same code on different frequencies as in Glonass). Inaccordance with certain aspects, the techniques presented herein are notrestricted to global systems (e.g., GNSS) for SPS. For example, thetechniques provided herein may be applied to or otherwise enabled foruse in various regional systems, such as, e.g., Quasi-Zenith SatelliteSystem (QZSS) over Japan, Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System(IRNSS) over India, Beidou over China, etc., and/or various augmentationsystems (e.g., a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS)) that may beassociated with or otherwise enabled for use with one or more globaland/or regional navigation satellite systems. By way of example but notlimitation, an SBAS may include an augmentation system(s) that providesintegrity information, differential corrections, etc., such as, e.g.,Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), European Geostationary NavigationOverlay Service (EGNOS), Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System(MSAS), GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation or GPS and Geo AugmentedNavigation system (GAGAN), or the like. Thus, as used herein, an SPS mayinclude any combination of one or more global and/or regional navigationsatellite systems or augmentation systems, and SPS signals may includeSPS, SPS-like, or other signals associated with one or more SPS.

Network or networks may operate in accordance with any one or more ofmany different systems, standards, or protocols, etc., just to name afew examples. For example, for an implementation including at least onewireless communication network, such wireless communication network(s)may comprise one or more of a wireless wide area network (WWAN), awireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network(WPAN), any combination thereof, and so on. A WWAN may be a CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Time Division Multiple Access(TDMA) network, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) network, anOrthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) network, aSingle-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) network, orany combination thereof, and so on. A CDMA network may implement one ormore radio access technologies (RATs) such as cdma2000, Wideband-CDMA(W-CDMA), Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access(TD-SCDMA), or any combination thereof, etc., just to name a few radiotechnology examples. Here, cdma2000 may include technologies implementedaccording to IS-95 standards, IS-2000 standards, IS-856 standards, orany combination thereof, etc. A TDMA network may implement Global Systemfor Mobile Communications (GSM), Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System(D-AMPS), or some other RAT or RATs. GSM and W-CDMA examples aredescribed in documents from a consortium named “3rd GenerationPartnership Project” (3GPP). Cdma2000 examples are described indocuments from a consortium named “3rd Generation Partnership Project 2”(3GPP2). 3GPP and 3GPP2 documents are publicly available. A WLAN mayinclude an IEEE 802.11x network, and a WPAN may include a Bluetoothnetwork or an IEEE 802.15x network, just to name a few examples.Wireless communication networks may include so-called next generationtechnologies (e.g., “4G”), such as, for example, Long Term Evolution(LTE), Advanced LTE, WiMAX, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), or anycombination thereof, or the like.

Some portions of this Detailed Description are presented in terms ofalgorithms or symbolic representations of operations on binary digitalsignals that may be stored within a memory of a specific apparatus orspecial purpose computing device or platform. In the context of thisparticular Specification, the term specific apparatus or the likeincludes a general purpose computer once it is programmed to performparticular functions pursuant to instructions from program software orinstructions. Algorithmic descriptions or symbolic representations areexamples of techniques used by those of ordinary skill in the signalprocessing or related arts to convey the substance of their work toothers skilled in the art. An algorithm here, and generally, may beconsidered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations or similarsignal processing leading to a desired result. In this context,operations or processing may involve physical manipulation of physicalquantities. Typically, although not necessarily, such quantities maytake the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, transmitted, received, or otherwisemanipulated.

It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of commonusage, to refer to such signals as bits, data, values, elements,symbols, characters, variables, terms, numbers, numerals, or the like.It should be understood, however, that all of these or similar terms areto be associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merelyconvenient labels. Unless specifically stated otherwise, as is apparentfrom the discussion above, it is appreciated that throughout thisSpecification discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “ascertaining,” “obtaining,”“transmitting,” “receiving,” “performing,” “applying,”“positioning/locating,” “storing,” “updating,” “providing,”“disseminating,” “modifying,” “making”, “taking” or the like refer toactions or processes of a specific apparatus, such as a special purposecomputer or a similar special purpose electronic computing device. Inthe context of this Specification, therefore, a special purpose computeror a similar special purpose electronic computing device is capable ofmanipulating or transforming signals, typically represented as physicalelectronic, electrical, or magnetic quantities within memories,registers, or other information storage devices, transmission devices,or display devices of the special purpose computer or similar specialpurpose electronic computing device.

Likewise, the terms, “and” and “or” as used herein may include a varietyof meanings that also are expected to depend at least in part upon thecontext in which such terms are used. Typically, “or” if used toassociate a list, such as A, B or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C,here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B or C, here used in theexclusive sense. In addition, the term “one or more” as used herein maybe used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic, etc. inthe singular or may be used to describe some combination of features,structures, or characteristics, etc. However, it should be noted thatthis is merely an illustrative example and claimed subject matter is notlimited to this example.

While there has been illustrated and described what are presentlyconsidered to be example features, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, andequivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subjectmatter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter withoutdeparting from the central concepts described herein. Therefore, it isintended that claimed subject matter not be limited to the particularexamples disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter may alsoinclude all aspects falling within the scope of appended claims, andequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing indoor navigationinformation to mobile devices from a server, the method comprising:receiving an indication of a position of a first mobile device within anindoor environment at the server; identifying, at the server, a conflictbetween the position of the first mobile device and map informationassociated with the indoor environment wherein the identifying includescomparing the position of the first mobile device with the mapinformation to identify the conflict; updating, at the server, the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment to produce updatedmap information associated with the indoor environment, the updatingbeing responsive to the conflict being identified a threshold number oftimes based on information received from a plurality of mobiles devicesproviding indications of the positions of the mobile devices within theindoor environment; and transmitting the updated map informationassociated with the indoor environment from the server to a secondmobile device to enable the second mobile device to use the updated mapinformation for positioning within the indoor environment inferring theexistence of a passageway connecting two areas of the indoor environmentthe existence of which was not indicated on the map informationassociated with the indoor environment based on the information receivedfrom the plurality of mobiles devices providing indications of thepositions of the mobile devices within the indoor environment.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the conflict between the position of the firstmobile device and the map information comprises the position of thefirst mobile device being associated with an area identified asinaccessible in the map information associated with the indoorenvironment.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising updating themap information associated with the indoor environment to indicate thatthe area identified as inaccessible is accessible.
 4. The method ofclaim 3 wherein the updating the map information is performed only if athreshold number of positions of mobile devices associated with the areaidentified as inaccessible are received.
 5. The method of claim 1wherein identifying the conflict comprises determining, based on the mapinformation, that the first mobile device has moved through an obstacleidentified in the map information.
 6. The method of claim 1 whereinupdating the map information associated with the indoor environmentincludes updating annotations associated with the map information.
 7. Aserver for providing indoor navigation information to mobile devices,the server comprising: means for receiving an indication of a positionof a first mobile device within an indoor environment; means foridentifying a conflict between the position of the first mobile deviceand map information associated with the indoor environment wherein themeans for identifying the conflict includes means for comparing theposition of the first mobile device with the map information to identifythe conflict; means for updating the map information associated with theindoor environment to produce updated map information associated withthe indoor environment, the means for updating being configured toupdate the map information responsive to the conflict being identified athreshold number of times based on information received from a pluralityof mobiles devices providing indications of the positions of the mobiledevices within the indoor environment; and means for transmitting theupdated map information associated with the indoor environment to asecond mobile device to enable the second mobile device to use theupdated map information for positioning within the indoor environmentinferring the existence of a passageway connecting two areas of theindoor environment the existence of which was not indicated on the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment based on theinformation received from the plurality of mobiles devices providingindications of the positions of the mobile devices within the indoorenvironment.
 8. The server of claim 7 wherein the conflict between theposition of the first mobile device and the map information comprisesthe position of the first mobile device being associated with an areaidentified as inaccessible in the map information associated with theindoor environment.
 9. The server of claim 8 further wherein the meansfor updating the map information includes means for updating the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment to indicate that thearea identified as inaccessible is accessible.
 10. The server of claim 9wherein the means for updating the map information includes means forperforming the updating the map information only if a threshold numberof positions of mobile devices associated with the area identified asinaccessible are received.
 11. The server of claim 7 wherein the meansfor identifying the conflict comprises means for determining, based onthe map information, that the first mobile device has moved through anobstacle identified in the map information.
 12. The server of claim 7wherein the means for updating the map information associated with theindoor environment includes means for updating annotations associatedwith the map information.
 13. An article comprising: at least onestorage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by one ormore processors of a server for providing indoor navigation informationto mobile devices, the instructions being configured to cause the one ormore processors to: receive via one or more communication interfaces anindication of a position of a first mobile device within an indoorenvironment; identify a conflict between the position of the firstmobile device and map information associated with the indoor environmentincluding comparing the position of the first mobile device with the mapinformation to identify the conflict; update the map informationassociated with the indoor environment responsive to the conflict beingidentified to produce updated map information associated with the indoorenvironment, the update being responsive to the conflict beingidentified a threshold number of times based on information receivedfrom a plurality of mobiles devices providing indications of thepositions of the mobile devices within the indoor environment; andtransmit the updated map information associated with the indoorenvironment to a second mobile device to enable the second mobile deviceto use the updated map information for positioning within the indoorenvironment inferring the existence of a passageway connecting two areasof the indoor environment the existence of which was not indicated onthe map information associated with the indoor environment based on theinformation received from the plurality of mobiles devices providingindications of the positions of the mobile devices within the indoorenvironment.
 14. The article of claim 13 wherein the conflict betweenthe position of the mobile device and the map information comprises theposition of the mobile device being associated with an area identifiedas inaccessible in the map information associated with the indoorenvironment.
 15. The article of claim 14 further comprising instructionsto cause the one or more processors to update the map informationassociated with the indoor environment to indicate that the areaidentified as inaccessible is accessible.
 16. The article of claim 15further comprising instructions to cause the one or more processors toupdate the map information only if a threshold number of positions ofmobile devices associated with the area identified as inaccessible arereceived.
 17. The article of claim 13 wherein the instructions to causethe one or more processors to identify the conflict compriseinstructions to cause the one or more processors to determine, based onthe map information, that the first mobile device has moved through anobstacle identified in the map information.
 18. The article of claim 13wherein the instructions to cause the one or more processors to updatethe map information associated with the indoor environment includesinstructions to cause the one or more processors to update annotationsassociated with the map information.
 19. A server comprising: one ormore processors configured to: receive via one or more communicationinterfaces at least one measurement that corresponds to a position of afirst mobile device within an indoor environment; compare the positionof the first mobile device within the indoor environment with a mapinformation associated with the indoor environment to identify aconflict between the position of the first mobile device and the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment; update the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment to produce updatedmap information associated with the indoor environment, the one or moreprocessors being configured to update the map information responsive tothe conflict being identified a threshold number of times based oninformation received from a plurality of mobiles devices providingindications of the positions of the mobile devices within the indoorenvironment; and transmit the updated map information associated withthe indoor environment to second mobile device to enable the secondmobile device to use the updated map information for positioning withinthe indoor environment inferring the existence of a passagewayconnecting two areas of the indoor environment the existence of whichwas not indicated on the map information associated with the indoorenvironment based on the information received from the plurality ofmobiles devices providing indications of the positions of the mobiledevices within the indoor environment.
 20. The server of claim 19wherein the conflict between the position of the mobile device and themap information comprises the position of the mobile device beingassociated with an area identified as inaccessible in the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment.
 21. The server ofclaim 20 wherein the processor is further configured to the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment to indicate that thearea identified as inaccessible is accessible.
 22. The server of claim21 wherein the processor is further configured to update the mapinformation to indicate that the area identified as inaccessible isaccessible only if a threshold number of positions of mobile devicesassociated with the area identified as inaccessible are received. 23.The server of claim 19 wherein the processor being configured toidentify the conflict is further configured to determine, based on themap information, that the first mobile device has moved through anobstacle identified in the map information.
 24. The server of claim 19wherein the one or more processors being configured to update the mapinformation associated with the indoor environment is further configuredto update annotations associated with the map information.